TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA 



9^-'- 



Collected under the Auspices of the 
Carnegie Institution of Washington 



BY . 

GEORGE a':' boRSEY 

Curator of Anthropology, Field Columbian Museum 




WASHINGTON, D. C. : 

Published by the Carnegie Institution of Washington 

igo4 






^# 



CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON 
Publication No. 17 



Gift. 
7' '> '04 






PRESS OF 

THE HENRY E. WILKENS PRINTING CO. 

WASHINGTON, 0. C. 



CONTENTS. 

Page. 

Introduction 5 

1. The Wolf and Lucky-Man Create Land ii 

2. The Spiders Give Birth to People 12 

3. The Origin of the Arikara 12 

4. The Origin of the Arikara 18 

5. The Origin of the Arikara 23 

6. The Origin of the Arikara 26 

7. The Origin of ithe Arikara 31 

8. The Origin of the Awaho-Bundle People 32 

g. Mother-Corn's Visit to the Arikara 35 

10. Mother-Corn's Visit to the Arikara 36 

11. How the People Escaped the Bufifalo 2,1 

12. Why the Buffalo No Longer Eat People 39 

13. Why the Bufifalo No Longer Eat People 40 

14. The Girl Who Married a Star 45 

15. The Girl Wiho Married a Star 56 

16. No-Tongue and the Sun and the Moon 61 

17. How Burnt-Hands Became a Chief 65 

18. How Burnt-Hands Became a Chief 69 

19. How Burnt-Hands Became a Chief 70 

20. The Two Boys and the Water-Serpent 7^ 

21. The Boy Who Befriended the Thunderbirds, and the Serpent . ■ ■ 7Z 

22. The Boy Who Turned Into a Snake 79 

22,. The Boy Who Received the Mouse Power 80 

24. The Boy and the Young Hawks 83 

25. The End of the Elk Power : . . 84 

26. The Elk Rescues a Woman from the Bear 88 

27. The Boy and the Elk 90 

28. The Coyote, the Girl, and the Magic Windpipe 91 

29. The Buffalo Wife and the Javelin Game 94 

30. The Origin of the Wolf Dance loi 

31. The Medicine Dance of the Beaver, Turtle, and Witch-Woman . . 105 

32. The Village-Boy and the Wolf Power 106 

2,2- The Rabbit Boy 109 

34. The Man and the Water-Dogs 114 

35. The Five Turtles and the Buffalo Dance 115 

36. The Notched Stick and the Old Woman of the Island . . . .117 
27. The Man Who Married a Coyote 117 

38. The Man Who Turned Truto a Stone 119 

39. The Woman Who Turned Into a Stone 120 

40. The Power of the Bloody Scalped-Man 121 

41. The Boy Who Carried a Scalped-Man Into Camp 123 

42. The Girl W'ho Was Blest hy the Buffalo and Corn 124 

43. The Fight Between the Arikara and the Snakes 125 

3 



4 CONTENTS. 

44. The Fight Between -the Arikara and the Bears 126 

45. The Wife Who Married an Elk 127 

46. The Four Girls and the Mountain-Lion 129 

47. The Deeds of Young-Eagle 129 

48. The Girl Who Became a Whirlwind 134 

49. Coyote and the Mice Sun Dance 137 

50. The Coycrte Becomes a Buffalo 138 

51. The Coyote and the Artichoke I39 

52. The Coyote Rides the Bear I39 

53. The Coyote Rides the Buffalo 140 

54. The Coyote and the Buffalo Run a Race 141 

55. The Coyote and the Dancing Corn 142 

56. The Coyote and the Turtle Run a Race 143 

57. The Coyote and the Stone run a Race I43 

58. The Coyote and the Rolling Stone 144 

59. The Coyote and the Rolling Stone 147 

60. How the Scalped-Man Lost His Wife 148 

61. The Generous Scalped-Man and His Betrayer 149 

62. The Scalped-Man 150 

63. The Dead Man's Country 152 

64. The Coyote Who Spoke ito the Eagle Hunters 153 

65. The Girl and the Elk 153 

66. How the Rabbit Saved a Warrior 154 

67. The Woman Whose Breasts Were Cut Off 155 

68. The Water-Dogs 156 

69. Two-Wolves, the Prophet 157 

70. How the Medicine-Robe Saved the Arikara . 159 

71. The Medicine Bear Shield 162 

72. The Crucified Enemy 165 

J},. How a Sioux Woman's Scalp Was Sacrificed 166 

74. The Warrior Who Fought the Sioux 167 

75. The Capture of the Enemj-'s Bows 167 

76. The Woman Who Befriended the Warriors 168 

jy. The Attack Upon the Eagle Hunters 170 

78. The Attack Upon the Eagle Hunters 170 

79. The Mourning Lover 171 

80. Contest Between the Bear and the Bull Societies 172 

81. How White-Bear Came to Belong to the Bear Society .... 174 

82. The Tale of a Member of the Bear Society 175 

Abstracts 179 



INTRODUCTION. 

The Arikara traditions in this volume were collected during the 
year 1903, with funds provided by the Carnegie Institution. The work 
was part of a systematic and extended study of the mythology and 
ceremonies of the various tribes of the Caddoan stock. All of the tales 
here presented were secured through James R. Murie, of the Skidi 
band of Pawnee. The slight differences in language between the Ari- 
kara and Skidi were soon overcome by Mr. Murie, vv^ho, when a boy 
at school, had learned to speak Arikara fluently. 

The Arikara belong to the Caddoan linguistic stock, and were for- 
merly closely allied with the Skidi band of Pawnee, from which tribe 
they separated about 1832. After that time they made their home at 
various points along the Missouri River until, in 1854, they were 
placed on what is known as Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota, 
along with the Mandan and Minitaree or Grosventres, the latter two 
tribes being of Siouan stock. With the Mandan the Arikara had been 
closely associated even before their removal to the Fort Berthold 
Reservation. Their dwellings and general mode of life had much in 
common with the Skidi. Like the Skidi, they constructed the earth- 
lodge, and their social organization and religious ceremonies in gen- 
eral were also similar to those of the Skidi. Inasmuch as the author 
has prepared a somewhat extended discussion of the Skidi in his in- 
troduction to the 'Traditions of the Skidi Pawnee," it will not be neces- 
sary here to do more than to refer to that volume.^ 

The Arikara to-day number about 380, as against 435 in 1890, and 
725 in 1880. Owing to the continued severe hostility of the Indian 
Department, but little evidence of their former method of life remains. 
It is said that the iast earth-lodge in use fell into ruins in 1900. In 
possession of certain members of the tribe are some of the sacred bun- 
dles or altars; but the people have been so intimidated that their re- 
ligious ceremonies are, as a rule, held secretly. 

In physique they seem hardier than their Skidi brethren on the 
south, and in disposition, more tractable. In dealings with the Gov- 
ernment they have, as a rule, proved themselves men of high honor, 
and not since about 1820 have they manifested an unfriendly disposition 
toward the whites. 

An examination of the tales here presented shows, as we might 
expect to find, many points of resemblance with those of the Skidi 
and other Pawnee tribes. It is apparent at once, however, that the 
mythology of the Arikara contains many elements not found among 

iTraditions ol the Skidi Pawnee, Vohime 8, Memoirs of the American Folk-Lore Society, 1904. 

5 



INTRODUCTION. O 

the Skidi. This is possibly due to contact with the ^Mandan, and per- 
haps, though to a less extent, with the ]\Iinitaree. To what extent the 
Mandan have influenced the Arikara can not be known, as no extended 
account of their mythology is available. 

Inasmuch as investigation is now being carried on among addi- 
tional tribes of the Caddoan stock, the usual references to the mytholo- 
gies of other tribes have been omitted in the present volume. At the 
completion of this investigation the tales of all the tribes of the stock 
will be considered from a comparative point of view, w'hile other re- 
semblances to the traditions of other tribes will, at the same time, be 
pointed out. It seems sufficient at present merely to indicate in a gen- 
eral way the character of the tales here presented. 

In the first and second tales, each of which tells of the creation of 
the earth by the Wolf and Lucky-Man, as well as in the creation of 
people by the Spiders, through the assistance of the Wolf, we have a 
story of origin not known to any of the other bands of Caddoan stock, 
and it is possible that this account is due to foreign influence. The story 
of the appearance of people upon earth, or of the emergence, is pre- 
sented in a number of variant forms (Nos. 3 to 13). All these myths 
are of undoubted Arikara origin, and apparently are uninfluenced by 
the mythology of any other tribe. The difference of these tales from 
all similar tales among the Skidi is very interesting, and s'hows that 
the Arikara possessed a well-defined mythology of their own before 
their separation from the Skidi. The next two tales (Nos. 9, 10) bear 
additional testimony to the importance of the cultivation of corn among 
the Arikara, while in tales 11, 12, and 13 is related, in varying versions, 
the escape of the Arikara from the buffalo. Tbe fundamental prin- 
ciple of this myth is wide-spread and extended to many of the Plains 
tribes. 

In the next series of tales (Nos. 14 to 28) we have a general ac- 
count of the period of transformation following the emergence, and 
which may be characterized in general as transformer legends. As 
witli the Skidi, the poor boy among these tales is the culture hero, 
while Coyote, the great transformer of the Northwest, takes a very 
inferior part. At least three well-defined transformers appear in this 
series ; the first in importance is the boy offspring of the woman who 
climbed to heaven and married a Star. His greatest work is freeing 
the land from the presence of the four destroying monsters. Onl\- 
second to Star-Boy in importance is Sun-Boy (No. 16), wbose special 
merit consists in the fact that he made long life possible, though only 
after a series of memorable contests with his powerful father. The 
third transformer is Burnt-Hands, the Burnt-Belly of the Skidi. Like 



\ 



INTRODUCTION. 7 

Burnt-Belly, this poor boy, through the aid of certain animals, becomes 
powerful, kills the mean chief, and calls the buffalo, thus saving his 
tribe from despotism and famine, and at the same time furnishing by 
his life a perpetual example to the poor of the Arikara of the value of 
honest and long-continued effort. In tale No. 20 are related the deeds 
of two boys who slew the water-monster, one of whom, perhaps, was 
Burnt-Hands. The deeds also of two brothers, and perhaps the same as 
those just referred to, are related in the next two tales (Nos. 21 and 22), 
where we have the additional element of one of the boys turning into 
a water-monster and taking up his home in the Missouri River, an 
incident which is of widespread distribution among the Pawnee tribes. 
Tihe first of these two stories might also be considered as a rite myth, 
for it has certain reference to the origin of the ceremony of the medi- 
cine-men. In the next tale (No. 23) the value of the deeds of the poor 
boy, who, as in a similar Skidi tale, recovers a mouse's nest and so re- 
ceives power from the mice and rats, is not so apparent. To be sure, 
for a while, his power is used advantageously, and he is instrumental 
in fighting the enemies of his tribe, ibut he finally abuses his power, and 
in an encounter with the bear this power comes to an end. A similar 
fate befalls the hero of another tale (No. 34), who, in befriending some 
young hawks, obtained the power of the hawks, which power, for 
a while, was rightly used, but eventually, abusing it, he suffered death. 
This tale, also, might be considered a rite myth. In tales Nos. 25 and 
26 is related how the young man recovered the young women from 
the power of the bear, throug^h the assistance of the magic flute of the 
elk. In the second of these two tales some of the women become elks. 
The story of the man wdio obtained the elk power is related in tale 27, 
which also relates 'how certain people, after entering the water, became 
animals. In a number of tales presented Coyote figures prominently, 
but only in No. 28 does he appear as a transformer, where, by Ms 
action with the magic windpipe, the seven brothers become bumblebees. 

Tales Nos. 29 to 42 may be considered rite myths, inasmuch as 
they refer either to the origin of a ceremony or of a particular rite or 
to incidents, which were perhaps connected with a ceremony. Myths 
of this nature apparently are not as common among the Arikara as 
among the Skidi. It is possible, however, that this apparent difference 
will not prove to be real, for as yet no extended and systematic study 
has been made of the Arikara ceremonies. 

In tale No. 29 is found an interesting account of the origin of the 
well-known ring and javelin game of the Plains, which among the 
Arikara, as among the Skidi and Wichita, is really part of the cere- 
monial calling of the buffalo. The tale also relates to the orierin of the 



8 INTRODUCTION. 

buffalo dance. In the next three tales (Nos. 30-32) is related the 
origin of the wolf dance and of the medicine-men's dance and of the 
special medicine of one of the medicine-men. In tale No. 33 is related 
the origin of the rabbit power, presumably the tale of the origin of some 
special medicine. In tale No. 34 we have perhaps the account of the 
origin of some band. Here, as in certain other tales, we have the magic 
power, derived in Ihis instance from the water-dogs, which led to the 
separation of the people. Tale No. 35 appears to relate to certain 
incidents of the buffalo dance, while the next tale gives a mythical ac- 
count of the well-known musical instrument consisting of a stick which 
was rubbed by another stick or by a bone, one end of the first stick 
resting upon a hollow object acting as a resonator. Tale No. 38 has 
reference to some personage in the medicine-men's ceremony. In Nos. 
38 and 39 we have an account of the man and the woman who turned 
to stone and who as such afterward played a prominent part in the 
medicine-men's lodge. In tales Nos. 40 and 41 we have an account of 
magic power derived from scalped-men, presumably being accounts of 
the origin of some special medicine. Tale No. 42, which tells of the 
power given a young girl through the skull and corn of the altar, which 
she used for replenishing the impoverished stores of her tribe, seems 
to be the fragment of some rite myth. 

Tales Nos. 43 to 48 are of miscellaneous character, and are not 
easily referred to any of the categories above mentioned. The first 
two in this series, which recount contests between the Ankara and the 
snakes and the Ankara and the bears, are perhaps rite tales, or they 
may relate to a still earlier time in the mythologic era. The next tale 
tells of the wife w'ho married the elk and afterward rendered great 
assistance to her people. This tale in its general features is similar to 
a wide-spread myth found among the Plains tribes. The story of the 
four girls who were pursued by the mountain-lion, as told in tale No. 
46, is also equally wide-spread, though it is here presented in an ab- 
breviated form. The next tale, which tells of the boy who could 
transform himself into an eagle, and who became a great chief and 
warrior, is similar in general to No. 32, but contains no rite element. 
The story of the whirlwind girl (No. 48) contains certain elements 
not yet known to exist among any of the Plains tribes. 

Tales Nos. 49 to 59 relate almost exclusively to animals, and in all 
of them the Coyote plays a prominent part, always as a mean trickster, 
not as a transformer, and committing deeds which generally result dis- 
astrously to himself. These tales in general are similar to those of the 
Skidi and other bands of the Pawnee. 

Tales Nos. 60 to 68 may be characterized in general as traditions, 



INTRODUCTION. 9 

in which the element of superstition or strange behefs play a promi- 
nent part. 

Tales Nos. 69 to 82 possess no element of magic power. They are 
to be considered as traditions or war tales, from which may be gained 
certain information interesting in a general study of the Ankara. Tale 
No. 71, and the last of the series, No. 82, are especially interesting, as 
relating the story of the medicine war shield and the personal experi- 
ence of a member of the Bear society. 

George A. Dorse y. 
Chicago, July i, 1904. 



TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA 



1. THE WOLF AND LUCKY-MAN CREATE LAND * 

There was a big lake. On this lake were two Ducks swimming 
around. They saw the Wolf coming from the southwest. Then they 
saw in the north, Lucky-Man coming. The Wolf and Lucky-Man met 
on the shore of the lake. 

The Wolf challenged Lucky-Man to see who could endure the rain 
the longest. The Wolf hung up his own skin, while Lucky-Man hung 
up all kinds of feathers on a long stick. It commenced to rain. The 
Wolf finally gave in. He said : "I am beaten, but now I want you to 
create with me. I want to make land. I want you to make land, and 
whatever things should live on it." Then the Wolf said, "I will take 
the north side of the Missouri River, and I will make land." The Wolf 
called a Duck, and said, "Now, Duck, can you dive away down under 
the lake and fetc'h me some dirt from the bottom?" The Duck said, 
"Yes." The Duck dived and brought up mud and placed it before the 
Wolf. The Wolf then threw the mud in the north, and said, "Form 
into land, and let it be prairie, and let the bufifalo roam over this 
prairie!" And it was done. 

The Wolf told Lucky-Man that it was now his turn. Lucky-]Man 
then turned and called the Duck and told it to bring up the mud from 
the lake. He brought up even more than he had brought up for the 
Wo'lf. Lucky-Man threw this dirt on the south side of where the 
Wolf had made his land. Hills and mountains were formed. The 
buflfalo were seen on the land. Lucky-Man said : "When the people 
come they shall choose to live on the south side of the Missouri River, 
for there are hills and valleys, so that their ponies, dogs, and buffalo 
can find shelter in the hills and mountains. You made your country 
level ; in the winter time the buffalo will be driven away from there 
by the storm." 

The Wolf made the land on the north side, and Lucky-Man made 
the land on the south side ; so there was a channel between the two 
countries, and that is where the ^lissouri River bed is. The first thing 
they knew, the stream of the Missouri began to flow along the dividing 
line of the two countries they had created. 

• Told by Yellow-Bear. U 



12 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

2. THE SPIDERS GIVE BIRTH TO PEOPLE.* 

There was once an old Spider-Man who Hved by himself with his 
wife. One day the Wolf and his friend went to visit these old folks. 
The Spider-Man was dirty, his eyes were red, he had no hair on his 
head, and he was very dirty all over, and the emitted a bad odor. His 
wife also was very dirty ; her hair was thin and very coarse. The Wolf 
had never seen people who looked like these people. 

Lupus ab homine quaesivit quern ad modum cum uxore concum- 
beret. Homo respondit: "Noti -dicere sed ostendere volumus." 
"Recte," dixit Lupus. Cum autem hominem mulieremque conspexisset, 
ilium tantum genitalia esse, itemque mulierem repperit ; quocirca fetorem 
emiserunt. Atque uterque de genere araneo fuit. 

Deinde Lupus : "Efficiemus ut pulchriores videamini, et concum- 
bere aliter ac nunc possitis." 

The Spider-Man and the woman were both willing. So the Wolf 
and his friend went and got some wild sage and fixed up some medi- 
cine. They dipped the wild sage into the water and rubbed it all over 
the two Spider people. As he rubbed the wild sage over them they 
became very different, they looked better, and they did not smell bad. 
Deinde Lupus virum docebat quem ad modum cum uxore concumbere 
conveniret, quidque facere oporteret ut liberos gignere posset. 
Nisi Lupus hsec fecisset, ut aiunt, nulli de genere humano geniti essent. 
Namque ille Araneos docuit quem ad modum concumbere oporteret ut 
liberos gignerent. Qui autem ex eis geniti sunt humani fuerunt, unde 
homines omnes sunt. 

3. THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA.f 

There were large people living upon the earth long ago, who were 
so strong that they were not afraid of anybody, but they did not have 
good judgment. They made fun of all the gods in the heavens. 

Nesaru looked down upon them, and was angry. Nesaru said : 
"I made them too strong. I will not keep them. They think that they 
are like myself. I shall destroy them, but I shall put away my people 
that I like and that are smaller." 

So the animals were made to assist some ^people to turn into corn 
and they were taken under ground into a cave, which was so large that 
animals and people lived down there together. The large people were 

•Told by Two-Hawks. 
tTold by Hand. 



THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA. I3 

killed by the flood. The people who were taken in under the ground 
knew nothing of the flood, for they were not people ; they were grains 
of corn. 

Nesaru in the heavens planted corn in the heavens, to remind him 
that 'his people were put under ground. As soon as the corn in the 
heavens had matured, Nesaru took from the field an ear of corn. This 
corn 'he turned into a woman and Nesaru said, "You must go down to 
the earth and bring my people from the earth." She went down to the 
earth and she roamed over the land for many, many years, not know- 
ing where to find the people. At last the thunders sounded in the east. 
She followed the sound, and she found the people underground in the 
east. By the power of Nesaru himself this woman Avas taken under 
ground, and when the people and the animals saw her they rejoiced. 
They knew her, for she was the Mother-Corn. The people and the 
animals also knew that she had the consent of all the gods to take 
them out. 

Mother-Corn then called upon the gods to assist her to lead her 
people out of the earth. There was none who could assist her. She 
turned around to the people, and said : "We must leave this place, 
this darkness; there is light above the earth. Who will come to help 
me take my people out of the earth?" The Badger came forth, and 
said, "Mother, I will help." A Mole also stood up, and said, "I will 
assist the Badger to dig through the ground, that we may see the light." 
The long-nosed Mouse came, and said, "I will assist these other two to 
dig through." 

The Badger began to dig upwards. He became tired, and said, 
"Mother, I am tired." Then the Mole began to dig. The Mole became 
tired. Then the long-nosed Mouse came and dug until it became tired. 
It came back. The long-nosed Mouse said, "Mother, I am tired." The 
Badger began to dig upward. When he became tired the Mole went 
up. The Mole said, "I was just about to go through when I became 
tired." The long-nosed Mouse then ran up, and said, "I will try." 
The long-nosed Mouse stuck its nose through the earth until it reached 
up to its ears, and it could see just a Httle light. It went back, and 
said, "Mother, I ran my nose through the earth, and it has made my 
nose small ; all the people that I shall belong to shall have these long 
noses, just like mine, so that all the animals will know that it was I 
who dug through the earth first, making my nose small and pointed." 

The Mole was so glad that it tried again. It went up to the hole, 
dug through the hole and went through. The sun had come up from 
the east. It was so bright that it blinded the Mole. The Mole ran 



14 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

l>ack, and said, "Mother, I have been bHnded by the brigfhtness of 
that sun. I can not live upon the earth any more. I must make my 
home under the earth. All the people who wish to be with me will be 
blind, so that they can not see in the da^'time. but they can see in the 
night. They shall stay under the ground in the daytime." The Mother- 
Corn said. "Very well." 

The Badger then dug through, making the hole larger, and, as it 
went out, the Badger closed its eyes, but. as he stuck his feet out, the 
ravs of the sun struck him upon the face so that he got a streak of 
black upon it, and he got black legs. The Badger went back into the 
hole, and said, "Mother, I have received these black marks upon me, 
and I wish that I might remain this way, so that people will remember 
that I was one of those who helped to get your people out." The 
Mother-Corn said, "Very well, let it be as you say." 

The Mother-Corn then led the way and the Mole followed, going 
out of the hole ; but, as they were about to go out from the hole, there 
was a noise from the east, and thunder, which shook the earth, so thait 
the earth opened. The people were put upon the top of the earth. 
There was wailing and crying, and, at the same time, the people were 
rejoicing thaJt they were now out upon the open land. As the people 
stood upon the earth, the Mother-Corn said, "My people will now 
journey west. Before we istart, any who wish to remain here, as Bad- 
gers, long-nosed Mice, or Moles, may remain." This was then done. 
Some of the people turned back to the holes of the earth and turned 
into animals, whichever kind they wanted to be. 

The journey was now begun. As they journeyed, there seemed to 
come up in front of them a mountainous country. There was a deep 
dhasm. Here the people could not get down, and if they should get 
down there was, on the other side, another steep bank, and there was 
no way for the people to get up. Mother-Corn turned to the heavens, 
and cried for help, "Any of you gods, come, help." But there was no 
one to come. Now there came from among the people a little bird, 
who said, "Mother-Corn, I will be the one to point out the way for 
you." The bird was the Kingfisher. The bird flew to the other side 
of the steep bank, stuck its bill into the bank, going through the hill 
and going out on the other side, so that the earth fell into the chasm. 
The bird came back again, and flew into the side of the steep bank, 
where the people were and came out on this side, so that the earth fell 
into the chasm, so that by the bank's falling there was formed a bridge. 
The people rejoiced, and the bird said, "All the people who want to 
join me may remain here, and we will stay and make our homes in these 



\ 



THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA. I5 

banks." Some of the people went back, stopped and turned into this 
kind of bird. 

Again the people journeyed, and again they came to an obstacle. 
This obstacle was the timber. The timber was somewhere near the sun. 
Mother-Corn turned to the gods and asked for help, for the timber 
before them was very thick. There were thorns all over the timber, 
so that even animals could not go through. The gods in the heavens 
had agreed to help Mother-Corn. They gave power to the Owl to 
clear a way through tlie timber for the people. The Owl came and 
stood before Mother-Corn, and said, "Mother, I will help to make a 
pathway for your people to go through this timber. Any of the people 
who wish to remain with me may become as I am, and we shall remain 
in this timber forever." The Owl then flew up through the timber. 
As it waved its wings it removed the timber to one side, so that when 
it flew through the timber there was a pathway, so that the people 
could go through. Mother-Corn then led the people through the tim- 
ber and passed onward. 

As they were journeying through the country, all at once they 
came to a big lake. They looked around for help, but they could see 
none. They conld not turn back, for Nesaru had instructed Mother- 
Corn to lead the people towards the west. A bird came and stood in 
front of Mother-Corn, and said, "I will make a pathway through this 
water. Let the people stop crying. I shall help them." Mother-Corn 
looked at the bird, and said, "Make .a pathway for us, and you shall 
have some of my people to remain with you here." The bird flew and 
jumped into the water. The bird was so swift that it parted the waters 
wherever it went, and came out on the other side of the water and left 
the waters parted. This bird was the Loon. The people went over on 
dry land and crossed to the other side. Some of the people turned back. 
and as they went into the water they turned into Loons. The other 
people journeyed on. 

When they had crossed the lake they had no implements, for the 
people at this time had no sense, as they were still animals. Here at 
this place some of the people were cut off, as the waters came together 
and left them on the other side of the big waters. At this place the 
people saw a man who was very tall and whose hair from his mouth 
reached down to his waist, and they exclaimed, "Wonderful !" And 
they were afraid of him. They thought that this man was from the 
heavens. 

At this place Mother-Corn brought the people together and said. 
"I am Mother-Corn ; you shall have my corn to plant, so that you, by 



l6 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

eating it, will grow and also multiply." Then Mother-Corn also said, 
"I will have to divide up things among you people," for here at this 
place they 'had had their village for some time. Mother-Corn now re- 
turned to the heavens. 

They made games at this place. The first game they played was 
the shinny ball and four sticks. The land was marked out by four 
sticks, which enclosed an oblong extending from east to west. Each 
side tried to force the ball through the other's goal. When one side 
was beaten it immediately began to kill those of the other side. At 
other places they had long javelins to catch a ring with. The side that 
won began to kill the people who were on the other side, and whose 
language they could not understand. All this was done while Mother- 
Corn was away, up in the heavens. 

When Mother-Corn returned from the heavens she brought with 
her a man who said that Nesaru was displeased with their doings ; that 
now he was to give them rules and laws to go by ; and that the people 
were to select a man whose name should be Nesaru, chief. 

After a man had been selected as chief the man and Mother-Corn 
sat down and she commanded that all the animals and people should 
come to her. The man with Mother-Corn stood up, and said, "I shall 
go off. I am strong." This man came back with a scalp. "This," he 
said, "the chief must have, and this other bunch of hair, for the man 
who takes the most scalps and captures the most enemies shall become 
a chief. You must put the scalp on your right arm. The next scalp 
you take, put upon your left arm ; the next scalp put on the right breast ; 
the next put on the left breast ; the next put on the right leg ; and the 
next put on the left leg. Now, that man becomes a chief." 

Mother-Corn then made a bundle, made songs, made the ritual, 
and gave the people the ceremonies. The medicine-men were instructed 
by the man, and also were taught sleight-of-hand, and were told to 
make a village. 

They did not stay long in the village, for Mother-Corn led them 
away on through the country to what is known as the Republican 
River, in Kansas, where there is only one mountain. Here they were 
to make their village, for Nesaru had placed roots and herbs for the 
medicine-men. All the people now moved on, and the Awaho people 
came last ; for the others had gone on and had their ceremonies, but 
the Awaho people, coming last, received the ceremonies from Mother- 
Corn. 

At this place, while the ceremonies were going on, Mother-Corn 
had the people offer smoke to the different gods in the heavens, and 



THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA. ly 

to all animal gods. Just as they were about to move on, a Dog came 
running into the village, frothing at the mouth, and fell down calling 
upon Mother-Corn, and saying that she had done wrong by leaving it 
behind ; that Mother-Corn had remembered all the gods and all the ani- 
mals, without remembering him, the Dog ; that now he had caught up 
with the people; that he knew that not only himself, but the Whirlwind 
was left out; and that the Whirlwind was mad, and was coming to 
scatter the ipeople ; that the Dog had come from the Sun and that the 
Sun ihad given it curative powers; that the Dog would help them; 
that as the Whirlwind was coming to destroy the people, the Dog let 
them know that the Whirlwind was a disease, and wherever the wind 
touched the people, disease would be left ; but if, when the Whirlwind 
should come, they would kill a dog and let the dog meat be the first 
to be offered as a sacrifice to the different gods in the heavens, then 
the gods would send a storm that would drive away the disease from 
the villages. 

As the Whirlwind came the people cried to the Dog: "Let it be 
as you say. You shall be the first meat in all our offerings in our cere- 
monies, and you shall be meat for us to eat when there is disease in the 
villages, but let the Whirlwind stop." The Whirlwind stopped blowing. 
Then the Dog appeased the gods, and said, "I shall always remain 
with the people. I shall be a guardian for all their belongings." 

After this was done, Nesaru had gathered in from his garden the 
crop of corn he had planted. Nesaru then gave three things to the 
people — Mother-Corn, the office of chief, and the medicine-men. Then 
Mother-Corn said, "The gods in the heavens are the four world-quar- 
ters, for they are jealous. If you forget to give smoke to them they 
will get mad and send storms." Then she said, "Give smoke to me 
last. The Cedar-Tree that shall stand in front of your lodge shall be 
myself. I shall turn into a Cedar-Tree, to remind you that I am 
Mother-Corn, who gave you your life. It was I, Mother-Corn, who 
brought you from the east. I must become a Cedar-Tree to be with 
you. The stone that is placed at the right of the Cedar-Tree is the 
man who came and gave you order and established the office of chief. 
It is Nesaru, who still exists all the time, and is watching over you. It 
will keep you together and give you long life." 



l8 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

4. THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA.* 

A long time ago, people lived in the ground. Mother-Corn en- 
gaged the animals to help her to get these people out of the ground. 
The animals came, and said, "Mother-Corn, we will help." There was 
a Badger, a Gopher, the long-nosed Mouse, and a Mole. 

The Badger was the first to stand up, and he said, "Mother-Corn, 
I will be the first to dig." So the Badger went to work digging through 
the earth. The Badger gave out. He came back, and said, "Mother- 
Corn, I am tired." The next animal went and dug, became tired, and 
came back. The Mole then went to work, but the long-nosed Mouse 
was the last to go. He dug through the earth with his nose. Then 
the Mole asked to see the light, and it went through and was blinded. 
The Mole went back, and said, "Mother-Corn, I will stay under ground 
always." 

The nejtt animal to try was a Gopher. He went up, and tried to 
go out of the hole. It was late in the evening, so that this animal re- 
ceived only a black streak across his eyes. The Badger then went to 
work and dug the hole larger, and went out, and it was morning, for 
the sun was up. The sun burned the fore legs of the Badger, also 
around his face, but he was not blinded. The long-nosed Mouse stood 
up, and said, "Mother-Corn, in trying to open the doorway of the earth 
for the people, my nose was squeezed, and made pointed. My snout 
has been made small, and I shall keep this shape always, so that the 
people will know that I was the one that opened the doorway of the 
earth for the people." 

The Mole stood up, and said, "Mother-Corn, I am blinded. I can 
not go with you, and your people will have to allow me to remain here, 
that I may always stay under the ground." Mother-Corn gave her 
consent, and that is w'hy the Mole is in the ground. If it comes out, it 
will come out in the night, and if the sun comes up on it, it has to sit 
still all day, until the night comes, then it will travel again. 

The people now came out from the ground and stood outside. 
They saw other pathways, where other people had gone out from the 
ground, by the help of the Buffalo. 

Now the people started upon a journey. This journey was stopped ; 
for the leaders said, "Here is an obstacle, a deep crevice. What shall 
we do, Mother-Corn?" Mother-Corn said, "Help! Hurry!" And 
she called upon the gods. The gods sent a Kingfisher, who said, 
"Mother-Corn, I will be the one to make a way for you and your peo- 

•Told by star. 



THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA. I9 

pie." The Kingfisher flew and shot through the side of the bank, and 
the bank fell. The Kingfisher flew around to where the company of 
people were, and shot through the other bank, and this bank also fell, 
so that the two banks, meeting, formed a pathway. Some of the peo- 
ple who saw these banks torn up, turned to Mother-Corn, and said, 
"Mother-Corn, we want to stay here in the banks, as Worms." So 
Mother-Corn allowed some of the people to remain in the banks as 
Worms. The people started, and when they got across this crevice 
they started on their journey. 

Again they met another obstacle — thick timber — and Mother- 
Corn called on the gods, and said, "Hurry ! Help !" So the gods sent 
the wonderful Owl to the people. This wonderful Owl flew and hghted 
by Mother-Corn, and said, "Mother, I will be the one to make a path- 
way." The Owl flew through the timber, and there was a pathway. 
The people went through the timber, and some of them liked the tim- 
ber, and they turned to Mother-Corn, and said, "Mother, we want to 
stay with the wonderful Owl." So some of the people turned into ani- 
mals and birds, and they stayed in the timber. 

Again the people started to journey, and they came to another 
difficulty. This time they came to a lake, whose banks were mountains, 
but they managed to get down to the lake. Then the people said, 
"Mother-Corn, What shall we do, for the lake is in the way?" Mother- 
Corn called upon the gods, and said, "Hurry ! Help !" The gods sent 
a Loon. The Loon came down and stood by the people, and said, 
"Mother-Corn, I will help to make a pathway for your people." The 
Loon flew down to the lake, and flew through the waters, and the waters 
opened, leaving the bottom of the lake dry so that the people could 
cross; some drank from the lake, turned into fish, and remained be- 
hind. When they had crossed the lake, some of the people said, "Mother- 
Corn, we want to stay with the wonderful bird, the Loon." Mother- 
Corn gave her consent. Some of them turned into Loons, and they 
stayed behind. The obstacles were overcome. 

It was now time for IMother-Corn to smoke to the gods. The 
smoke was ready. Animals and birds were sent out to find oflferings. 

When the pipe was made the animals and the birds went out to 
find the offering. The Prairie-chicken found a wild-cat and killed it. 
The Prairie-diicken brought the wild-cat to the people and laid it down 
outside of the camp. The Prairie-chicken then went to ]Mother-Corn, 
and said, "Mother, I have killed for the offering." Mother-Corn, said, 
"What kind of an animal is it that you have killed?" The Prairie- 
chicken said, "It is an animal that is speckled." Mother-Corn said, 



20 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

"You have done rigfht. The animal that is speckled represents the 
heavens, and the white spots represent the stars. So you will bring it 
and we will make an offering." The Prairie-chicken went and brought 
the animal. 

When it came time to offer the smoke the people found that they 
had not the pipe with which to form the smoke. There were three 
Stars in the heavens, and they saw the pipe was lacking. They said, 
"Mother-Corn, we will get you the pipe." So the three Stars went 
and found a stone, and brought it to Mother-Corn. They said, "We 
are the three Stars that come up in the East. We know the pipe smoked 
to us." They were Red-Star, Yellow-Star, and the Big-Black-Meteoric- 
Star. So Mother-Corn had the stone made into a pipe. 

When the pipe was made and filled with native tobacco Mother- 
Corn called the Prairie-chicken, and said, "You must carry this pipe to 
the God in the Southeast." So the Prairie-chicken took the pipe and 
flew to the Southeast. It was gone for some tiime, and when the Prairie- 
chicken came back it said, "The God in the Southeast received the pipe 
and smoked." Mother-Corn again filled the pipe with native tobacco 
and called on the Prairie-chicken again, gave it the pipe, and told it to 
go to the God in the Southwest with it. The Prairie-chicken flew away 
again and was gone for some time. When it came back it said to 
Mother-Corn, "The God in the Southwest has received the pipe and 
smoked." Then Mother-Corn took the pipe again and filled it with 
native tobacco, called the Prairie-chicken, and said, "Take this pipe to 
the God in the Northwest." The Prairie-chicken took the pipe and 
flew away again to the Northwest. When it came back it told Mother- 
Corn that the God in the Northwest had received the pipe and smoked. 
Again Mother-Corn filled the pipe, gave it to the Prairie-chicken, and 
it flew away to the God in the Northeast. The Prairie-chicken came 
back, and said, "Mother-Corn, the God in the Northeast has received 
the pipe and smoked." Then the pipe was filled again and the Prairie- 
chicken was called to carry it to Nesaru, which it did. The Prairie- 
chicken flew up into the heavens, and said, "Nesaru has received the 
pipe and smoked. Other animal gods also smoked with Nesaru." 
Then Prairie-chicken said, "Mother-Corn, these journeys were very 
hard. The wind was blowing hard, sand-stones were thick, the little 
.stones struck upon my feathers and made white spots upon them. 
Flying through these hard winds gave me power to fly through 
storms. The stones hit upon my feathers and made white spots upon 
theni. I wish to remain as I am now." Mother-Corn said, "It is 
well. You shall be as you are always." (This is why the Prairie- 



THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA. 21 

chicken has white spots upon its feathers.) "As you have carried 
the pipes yourself to the gods, so it shall be to all people who shall 
make a sacrifice to the gods that they themselves must go through 
the smoke ceremony, that the gods may receive the smoke offering 
from the person himself who makes the offering." 

In the smoking Nesaru let the gods know that he had given 
his consent to Mother-Corn to 'have people upon the earth ; and that 
the gods were also to give their power to the people and protect them. 
So it was the place of the gods to help Mother-Corn whenever sihe 
called upon them for help. 

After they had smoked to the gods there came a Dog running 
into the camp and telling Mother-Corn that one of the gods, the 
Whirlwind, who stands a little to the southwest, had been slighted 
in the smoke ceremony and the Whirlwind was angry. Then the 
Dog said to Mother-Corn, "That God, the Whirlwind, is coming. Be 
quick and do something for the people, for the gods in the 'heavens 
promised you aid when the people should be in trouble." Mother- 
Corn stood up and spoke, saying, "Nesaru and the gods, I want help, 
for the Whirlwind is coming to destroy my people !" A woman step- 
ped in front, and said, "I will be the one to save the people." She 
stood up and was turned into a Cedar-Tree. Then there was a noise 
in the heavens and a Rock fell by the Cedar-Tree. A voice spoke 
from the heavens, and said, "I am the Big-Black-Meteoric-Star. I 
shall assist the Cedar-Tree to save the people." The people then 
ran up to the Cedar-Tree and around the rock. The Whirlwind 
came, and some of the people ran away, some going north, some west, 
some south and some east, and when the Whirlwind struck these 
people it changed their language. The people who stood upon the 
Cedar-Tree and the Rock remained as the Arikara. When the Whirl- 
wind struck Mother-Corn she vomited red water, and after the water 
there came out a red ear of corn. Again she vomited and threw up 
yellow water, which was followed by a yellow ear of corn. Again 
she vomited, and there came up black water and a black ear of com. 
Now she vomited and there came up white water and a white ear of 
corn. The Whirlwind passed the people and it turned back and came 
to Mother-Corn. It said to her : "You slighted me in your smoke. I 
became angry. I have left behind me diseases, so that the people will 
become sick and die. You wanted your people to live forever, but 
I have left sickness behind, so that it will fall upon the people who 
are proud and dress fine ; but always remember 'when you offer smoke 
to the gods to give me smoke towards the last, so that I shall not visit 



2 2 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

the people very often." The Wihirlwind went on. The Cedar-Tree 
spoke, and said: "Mother-Corn, the Whirlwind twisted my body 
until, you see, it is bent in many places. Let me remain this way. Let 
the people know me as the 'Wonderful Grandmother.' They shall place 
me in front of their medicine-lodge and they shall have a ceremony 
that I shall give them wihen they place me in front of their lodge." 
Then the Big-Black-Meteoric-Star said: "Mother-Corn, I wish to be 
known as the 'Wonderful Grandfather.' I shall sit by the Wonderful- 
Grandmother, in front of the medicine-lodge, so that the people will al- 
ways remember that it was I who saved them from the Whirlwind." 
Then the Dog spoke, and said : "Mother-Corn, I brought the news. I 
followed up the people from where they came out from the ground. 
I am always to remain with the people, so that I may guard thelir 
camps and villages, and when enemies are approaching their camps 
or villages I shall let them know by my barking. My spirit is up to all 
the gods. My flesh is good to eat, and the grease of my body is cura- 
tive for sores. Let the people in all their ceremonies kill me and offer 
my flesh to the different gods in the heavens. Let the medicine-men 
use my fat for their sores." Mother-Corn was satisfied. 

Mother-Corn then stood up and said: "My people, this corn 
is for you. They are seeds. You shall plant them, so that in time you 
can offer this corn to the gods also. This will be done to remind them 
that I was once Corn up in the heavens and was sent down to ta'ke 
you from the ground. These people who have scattered out shall be 
your enemies. The people who have gone to the Southwest you shall 
cill 'Sahe' (Strike-Enemy) ; the people who have gone to the Northeast 
you shall call 'Pichia' (People-of-Cold-Country) ; the people who have 
gone to the East you shall call 'Wooden-Faces' (Iroquois), for they 
shall wear wooden faces in their ceremonies. The people who have 
gone to the South you shall call 'Witchcraft-People', for they shall 
understand how to practice witchcraft. They will understand the 
mysteries of the Owl, Woodpecker, Turkey and the Snakes." (These 
were the Wichita.) Other people also were named at this time. 

Mother-Corn stayed with the people until she had taught them 
the bundle ceremonies. When she had completed telling them con- 
cerning these ceremonies, she told them that she was now to go 
back to the place where they had come from and that they should 
sing the bundle songs that she had taught them. She also told 
them to bring all of the children's little moccasins, and to tie them 
together and place them upon her back ; that it was time now for 'her 
to go. She then told them they onust take her to the river and throw 



THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA. 23 

her in, The people did not understand this, as they kept up the sing- 
ing in the night. W'hen dayhght came they looked behind where 
Mother-Corn was sitting, and there they found that she had turned 
into an ear of corn. The buffalo robe that she had about her was tied 
to the corn. It was told the people through the village, and the people 
came with their children's moccasins and placed them with Mother- 
Corn. Then the priests took Mother-Corn and the robe to the river. 
and threw her into it. For many years she did not return, but one fall, 
when they were having their bundle ceremonies, a mysterious-looking 
woman entered the lodge where the bundle ceremony was being given 
and they finally recognized her as Mother-Corn. She taught them 
some more bundle ceremony songs and before daylight disappeared, 
and was never seen again. 



5. THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA.* 

In the forgotten days of old there stood unnumbered people in 
the dark and gloomy cave down deep in the earth. They were wan- 
derers, not knowing where they came from nor where they were going. 
In the midst of the blinded multitude there stood the Corn, the Mother 
of the tribe. For many days they stood in this condition and longed 
to see if there was any better world. Whereupon, the Mother-Corn 
called and selected the four fastest birds. She sent one to the east, 
as she thought, one to the south, one to the north, and one to the west, 
to look for a better world to live in. The birds went as t'hey were 
directed and were gone for some days. They all returned, but without 
any good news to tell to the Mother. Whereupon, they were sad and 
discouraged, until there came forward from the crowd a tiny animal 
wlio thought himself capable to lead the people out of darkness into 
light. He told the Mother-Corn that he would make an effort to 
look for a better world. The Mother-Corn was glad to hear it, and 
consented to let him try to do what he could. Another came and said 
he would assist him, and still another came to offer his help. The 
first one was a long-nosed blouse, or a Mole ; the second was a Skunk ; 
and the third was a Badger. The first went and started to dig up- 
wards. He toiled until he was exhausted. Then the second went and 
worked until he gave out. Then the third came and labored on the 
same thing, until he was almost exhausted. The Mole made his second 

•Told by Hand. 



24 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

attempt and worked very hard. When "he was about tired out he ran 
his nose into a new and l>etter world. 

He saw a very faint light, but he could not go further. He re- 
turned, and told that he had an idea there was light. The people felt 
much pleased, and encouraged. The Skunk began to widen the path, 
and worked hard until he succeeded. He got out ; but the sunlight, 
being too strong, blinded him, and so he turned back and told the 
people that there was a sun which lighted the world. The people were 
more pleased, and were very anxious to see it. 

The Badger came forward again with his strength and worked 
on it, widening the path so that the multitude could march out, one 
by one. After his hard labor he went through, but because he was 
tired he lay down. He saw the skies, the sun, the mountains and all 
that there was on the earth. The sun went down, the stars appeared 
and the Night came. The Night saw him there and visited him, but 
the animal was asleep. The Night put forth his hands and held the 
Badger's hands, touched him on his head and on his neck, then went 
on his way. Light came again from the east, the stars disappeared and 
the moon also. The Badger awoke from his sleep and saw the sun 
rising in the east. He felt satisfied with all he had witnessed. He 
turned to the people and told all this to the Mother-Corn. Im- 
mediately the Mother-Corn marched ahead and stopped at the open- 
ing. The opening was somewhat small, but she tried hard to put her 
head through. The next step she went through as far as her legs. 
Then she marched out, and all the people followed. 

Nesaru from the heavens saw the Mother-Corn and talked to her. 
He had his mercy on her and he taught her how she should live. He 
gave her power to use in the times of need. The whole multitude cried 
for joy. The Mother-Corn started out on a long westward march. All 
followed, as in a triumphant procession. After many days of march- 
ing they came to a wide expanse of water. There they stood on the 
shore. The Fish came and told the Mother-Corn that he would make 
way for them. The Mother-Corn gave her consent, because she knew 
that the Fish had the power to do so. The Fish went into the waters, 
and thus the water parted. The Mother-Corn led, and they all marched 
on dry land, but there stood high walls of waters. After a long march 
they came to the shore, and the waters came together. This was the 
first obstacle they encountered. 

They went on their march again, and here they came to their 
second obstacle, which was a very thick forest, that no one could go 
through. The Owl came and volunteered to make a way for the 



THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA. 25 

people. So he went and blew down trees, the path was cleared, and 
the people all went on. They then cajne to the third and last obstacle, 
which was a very deep ravine that no man could walk down and up. 
Then one bird, the Kingfisher, said he would make the way. So he 
did, and all the people went across. Now they went on. They came 
to an open prairie. Here they saw a buffalo, a very large animal, 
whose horns seemed to reach to the sky. The people were amazed, 
and were very much afraid of him. They could find no way to kill 
him. But the Mole, the Skunk, and the Badger agreed to work to- 
gether once more. The Mother-Corn w^as willing to let them do so. 
The Fish also said that he would be the one to kill the animal. Where 
the animal stood there was a very beautiful lake \Vhere he had always 
gone to get his drink. The three went and worked under the surface 
of the earth. They made many holes all around the animal. The 
three returned, after they had made all the ground loose about the 
animal. The animal started, and went toward the lake for water, 
while the people watched, to see what would happen to him. He 
came to the shore, and while he was drinking the Fish went up into 
his mouth and into his throat and into his stomach. Inside, he worked 
with his fins and cut the animal very badly. The animal ran, then got 
into the loosened ground. Finally he fell, bled and died. The Fish 
then came out. All the people came and were very much surprised 
because of the appearance of the animal. They were afraid of him, 
so they worshiped him. The hairs on him were grass. The horns 
on him were trees, with thick bark. The end of his nose was a big, 
black sunflower. Most of his outside appearance was in the form of 
Mother-Earth. The blood from the buffalo sank down into the earth, 
was hardened and became a stone, and from this stone later on they 
made their pipes. They butchered the buffalo and divided his flesh 
among the different sacred bundles in different villages. They counted 
and kept all the joints in the animal, and they are preserved in the 
bundles. 

Then, again, they went on westward, and after many days they 
stopped, and separation took place. The Mother-Corn called a council, 
and they all met together. The fowls, fishes, and animals all agreed 
that they would separate from the people. They gave as much power 
as they could spare to the Mother-Corn. The Mother-Corn was 
very thankful, because she was to get her food from any animal that 
she should like. Besides, she was to get all her clothing from them. 
At last, the Mother-Corn separated from the animals. 

This will give an idea to all how the Arikara originated under 
the earth. Yet it seems a mystery to its, and it is for us to solve. 



26 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

6. THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA * 

A long time ago, when I was about thirteen years old. we heard 
that sniallix)x was coming from the east, so that we all left our village 
and went north in order to get away from the smallpox. As we 
journeyed west we came to many buffalo. My fatJier and I went to 
kill them. My father killed a buffalo cow. Then he called out, with a 
loud voice, that he had made a buffalo holy, and called a certain old 
man who was then the keeper of a bundle. 

The old man came and sat down with us. He filled his pipe and 
smoked to the different gods in the heavens. After smoking he pulled 
up some wild sage and waved it upon the buffalo. After this he took 
his knife and cut the skin of the buffalo. Then we all helped skin the 
buffalo. After we had skinned it, the old man took his knife and took 
the meat from the back. Then he took the tongue out and carefully 
cut the meat from the tongue, breast, heart, and lungs. He carefully 
laid the meat, heart, tongue, and lungs aside, and said, ''These things 
are holy. The rest of the meat I will take home and divide among 
other old men. You take the meat, tongue, heart, and lungs and jerk 
it and dry it and when we get to our village we will have the cere- 
mony." The holy meat was jerked and dried. My people took care 
of it, so that it was very fine. When we returned to the village this 
meat was put upon my back and some upon the back of my father, 
and we started for the priest's lodge. 

The bundle had been taken down by the woman who had charge 
of the bundle and placed in the west of the lodge. The women had all 
left the lodge. We entered the lodge. We were then told to take 
seats by the priest. The tying of the bundle is peculiar, for it is not a 
common tie. The man who untied the bundle was told to notice the 
tie closely so that he could tie the bundle up again in the same way. 
The bundle was untied and the things inside were spread out, the 
priest being particular to place the four animals that brought the 
people out from the earth. They were the bear, badger, mole, and a 
tiny mouse with a long nose. There were all kinds of birds in the 
bundle. There were also two pipes in it. One of the pipes was black, 
the bowl also being black. The bowl of the other pipe was red, the 
stem was white, and many bird feathers were tied along the pipe stem. 
The only thing tied upon the pipe was a white shell. The priest took 
the gourds, and told the errand man to invite four men and four women 
into the lodge. The women were placed according to the four world 

•Told by Bears-Tail. 



THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA. 27 

quarters. Hoes made of the shoulderblade of a bufifalo were given 
them. The four men were also placed by the women, and these men 
were given bow and arrows. The four old men now took up the 
gouxds and the four men and women danced. This was continued 
until all the songs were sung. The women and men placed their im- 
plements at the altar, then went out. 

Before the ceremony, many presents were given — such as ponies, 
blankets, buffalo robes, calicos, guns, etc. Some of these things were 
given to the old men, who sat on each side of the entrance. Most of 
the presents were given to the priest, who made offerings of willow 
sticks to the gods. After this, he told us the origin of the bundle and 
of our people : 

A long time ago, Nesaru made people. They were giants. They 
displeased Nesaru, and he sent mighty heat upon these people, so that 
they turned into stones — such as we now find in the earth. This is 
why we call stones our grandfathers, for stones really are people, 
who were once wonderful and powerful. 

Again, Nesaru made people. This time they were small, but were 
wonderful. They also displeased Nesaru, so that he sent word to all 
the animals to hide ; that he was going to make the water rise from 
the earth. The animals held a great council, and it was decided to 
take most of the people under the ground with the assistance of the 
Badger, the Mole, and the long-nosed Mouse. The Fox was to act 
as runner and errand man. 

The people lived under the ground for many years. These animals 
did not like to see the people live under the ground, so the Badg^er, 
the Mole, the long-nosed Mouse, and the Fox assembled. This means, 
not one Bear, one Badger, one Mole, one Mouse, and one Fox, but many 
of each kind. The animals decided to dig through the earth upwards, 
and see what kind of land there was above. So the Bears dug, but 
they all gave out. The Badgers dug and they gave out. The Moles 
then dug and they gave out. The little Mice then dug until they dug 
through the earth. Then they went back, for their noses were worn 
sharp. 

When the Mouse came back the other animals saw that his nose 
was worn sharp. The Mouse said : "From this day on, my people 
will have long, sharp noses on them, so that people will know that 
through the long-nosed Mouse they came out from the ground." 

The Mole was the first one to stick his head out and see the bright 
sun. He was blinded. He went back into the ground, and to the 
animals. He told of the brightness outside of the earth, tliat he had 



28 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

been blinded. So it was decided by the animals that the Mole should 
always stay under ground and should never see the sun. The Mole 
was satisfied, so he always stayed under the ground. 

The next to go through was the Fox. The rays of the sun now 
entered the hole, and the Fox could see, but he could not get through. 
So the Badger dug away until he dug through. The Fox went again, 
and crawled out of the ground. He made a loud shout, like a man. 
The Fox ran around through the country and returned to the people 
and reported what he had seen outside on the earth. 

The animals were all satisfied. They all said, "We will lead these 
people out, so they can live upon the land, where they can see the sun, 
moon, stars and heavens." The Bear was told by the long-nosed 
Mouse to make the hole larger. The Bear went to digging. The people 
followed. The people did not have any clothing on, neither did they 
have anything to eat. They did not know how they lived under ground. 
The Bear made the hole larger, so that there was light where the 
people were. The long-nosed Mouse went out first, then the other 
animals followed, then the people followed out. 

The people were now standing upon the ground. They did not 
know which way to go. But there was a woman who seemed to know. 
She did not speak to the people. She told a man that she was not a 
real woman, that she was a grain of corn, and that she had understand- 
ing of what they were to do. She told the man that they were upon an 
island in big waters, that they were put there so that they could dig 
through the earth and could get out. 

These people who were taken under the ground by Mice were 
grains of corn. Now they had turned to people. The long-nosed 
Mouse now spoke to the woman, and said, "Some of the people will 
have to remain in this water, for we can not cross this big water unless 
some do." The Mouse then told a man to get into the water. When 
the man got into the water he turned into a long gar-pike. It now 
swam across the big water, but failed to reach the land. So the 
Mouse commanded one of the women to get into the water and to 
swim and join the gar-pike in the water. Now, there was a bridge 
across the big water. The two fish became tired and gave way, so 
that some of the people fell into the big water, and turned into fish. 
The others went on. 

After they had gone upon the mainland the people began to pick 
up flint stones and use them to cut with. But another thing happened : 
There was darkness upon the earth. Some of the people could see 
plainly in the dark. These people did not know what to do, but the 



THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA. 29 

Mouse led the people through the darkness, and led them out from 
the thick timher. The people who were left in the timber turned to 
Owls. 

The people went out of the timber and again there was trouble, 
for there was an earthquake. The land opened, and took some people 
into the ground. It left a deep chasm, so that the people were not 
able to move on. The Bear went to the chasm and made steps on 
each side, so that the people went down and climbed up on the other 
side. 

Now they traveled west. Again there was trouble. Thick timber 
was in the way. The Mouse called on the gods. A Whirlwind came 
and made a pathway through the timber. The Whirlwind did not 
hurt the people, although it was mad, for the powers had not called on it 
for help. 

Now they went on until they came to muddy water, in what is 
known as "Pawnee" country. Here they found many things to wear 
and to eat. The first bow was then made. The long-nosed Mouse 
died and the people skinned it, leaving the skull in the skin. The Bear 
then died, and its skull was also taken from it. So also with the Mole, 
the Badger, and the Fox. These were wrapped up in a bundle and 
when the Pawnee invited them to attend the bundle ceremony they went 
and received their ceremony. Mother-Corn and also a ceremony were 
given to them. All the bundles received their rituals, each being differ- 
ent from the others. 

While they had their village here the Arikara dressed the ear of 
corn as a woman. They went down to the River and threw it in, the 
old men singing, "Mother, you are going to the island in the big water, 
where we came out. Find out for us what we are to do, and how we 
are to live. Come back to us and tell us how it was that we came 
here." The corn drifted down the stream and disappeared. 

Many years afterwards the Arikara were living on the Muddy 
(Missouri) River, when, in the fall, there came a strange woman into 
the lodge where they were having a bundle ceremony. The people 
took no notice of the woman. The woman left the lodge and went 
to another lodge and took her seat under the bundle. The people in 
this lodge fed her, but they did not notice her any more than to feed 
her, as they would feed any other woman. She left and went to 
another bundle lodge, always taking her seat under the bundle. She 
went to all the bundles, but none of the people noticed her. She went 
to the last bundle, and as she entered, the people noticed her as a 
strange woman. 



30 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

She went to the altar and sat down under the bundle. The old 
man was told that a strange woman had come in. The old man took 
notice of her and recognized her. The old men were gathered and 
the ceremony that the people got from Muddy-River country was per- 
formed. 

This woman was sitting in front of the bundle. When the cere- 
mony was gone through, the woman spoke, and said : "I have re- 
turned. I found out that you people came out from the ground. You 
met obstacles. You came through by the aid of the animals. You 
went to a strange country. You met difficulties. You overcame them 
by the power of the animals. It was all done through me, for the four 
world quarter gods are my father. I prayed to the gods and to Nesaru 
for help for you, so that your people would live. You threw me into 
the river and asked me to return. I have come to you again. I shall 
hereafter come to you in dreams, and tell you about these things that 
are in this bundle. I will be present with you always. I shall leave 
you words. Now, before I go to my fathers in the heavens, I want 
to tell you to tie me upon the bundle and give presents to it by clothing 
the ear of corn. In all of your ceremonies, always offer it some corn 
and meat. It will always gladden me to receive anytliing you people 
eat. I must go." 

The woman disappeared, and there, where she sat, lay an ear of 
corn. People saw the corn. Other old men were sent for, so that 
they might also get an ear of corn to tie upon their bundles. But the 
people all blessed themselves with the corn that the woman had turned 
into. The people tied ears of corn upon tlieir bundles. Some tied 
hides upon the corn and hung them up on the walls. This was done 
for the people who had given buffalo meat to the bundles. 

So the old woman disappeared ; but the old men in the tribe 
claimed that the woman came to them in their dreams and taught 
them songs and how to make sacrifices of dried or fresh buffalo meat, 
and also the smoke ceremony. 



THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA. 3I 

r. THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA * 

I sacrificed several buffalo to Mother-Corn. I used to sit and 
listen to the songs. Finally the old men gave me a seat with them, so 
I learned to sing the bundle songs. The old men then told us this 
story : 

A long time ago, the Arikara lived under the ground. There were 
four animals who looked with pity upon the people, and these animals 
agreed to take the people up on top of the earth. These animals were 
the long-nosed Mouse, the Mole, the Badger, and the Fox. The Fox 
was the messenger to the people to tell them of what the animals were 
doing. The Mole was the first to dig. He ran back, for he was 
blinded by the brightness of the sun. The animals went out. The 
people came out of the earth, the Fox being in the lead. As the people 
were coming out there was an earthquake. The Arikara came out. 
The other people were again held fast by the earth. 

These people who came out from the ground then journeyed 
west. They came to a place where the earth shook, so that there was 
a chasm or a steep bank. The people waited and cried. The Badger 
stepped forward and began digging, so that it made a pathway for the 
people. The people went across this place, and continued their journey. 

All through the journey Mother-Corn was absent, for she had gone 
into the heavens to ask the gods to let the people live. The obstructions 
that the people met were wonderful powers. This strange being was 
known as Sickness (Natogo). After all the people had passed the 
first obstacle they sat down and gave thanks and made offerings to 
the gods. 

Again they went upon their journey, and it stormed. In front of 
them was a river. They could not cross it, for it was very deep; but 
a Loon was sent by the gods. The Loon came to the people, and said : 
"Your mother is traveling in the heavens to help you. I was sent 
by the gods to open up this river, so you could cross and go on your 
journey." The Loon flew across the river, flew back, then dived and 
came out on the other side of the river. The river was opened ; it banked 
up on each side ; the people crosssed over and the waters came together 
again. Some people were left on the other side. 

Again they journeyed, and they came to a place where Mother- 
Corn stopped and said: "The big Black-Wind is angry, for we did 
not ask it to come with us, neither did we make it one of the gods to 
receive smoke. But," said Mother-Corn, "the Black-Meteoric-Star 

♦Told by Fo\ir-Homs. 



32 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

understands this storm; it will help us." Mother-Corn went on, and 
said: "Here we are. We must hurry, for the big Black-Wind is 
coming, taking everything it meets." "There is a cedar tree. Get 
under that cedar tree. Get under that cedar tree," said Mother-Corn. 
"The Black-Meteoric-Star placed it there. The Star stands solid, for 
its right leg is cedar ; its left leg is stone. It can not be blown away. 
Get under its branches." So the people crawled under its branches. 
The Black-Wind came and took many people, notwithstanding. 

The people came out, and they went on. They came to another 
difficulty — a steep mountain bank, and they stopped. The Bear came 
forth, and said, "I will go through this place first."' So the Bear went 
to digging steps for the people. Steps were made on both sides and 
the people went across. 

After they had been gone for some time, a Dog came up, and said : 
"Why did you people leave me behind? I shall be the one that you 
shall kill, and my meat shall be offered to the gods. I shall also fix 
it so that all animals shall make great medicine-men of you. My 
father is the Sun. He has given me all this power. I will give my 
power to all animals, then I will stay with the people, so they will not 
forget my promise to them." The people were thankful to the Dog. 



8. THE ORIGIN OF THE AWAHO-BUNDLE PEOPLE.* 

We were told by old people that our people came out from the 
ground. There were some people who came out from the ground, for 
there was an earthquake. Some of the people were thrown out and 
put upon the surface of the earth. There were some who were cut 
off, so there was crying, wailing, and many noises. The heavens heard, 
saw the people's distress, so the heavens sent Mother-Corn to them. 
When she came to them, tinder the earth, she had a robe about her 
shoulders. This robe was painted red. There were upon the robe 
five moons and one star. 

The people rejoiced when they saw Mother-Corn. She told them 
that she had come to lead them out from the earth ; that on her robe she 
had had pictured the gods who had sent her and promised her help. 
She then turned around and spoke to the gods, asking them to make 
a way for the people to get on the earth. For several days the people 
waited, but no help came. At last a Badger came out, and said, 
"Mother, I will make a way for the people." So the Badger began 

•Told by Hawk. 



THE ORIGIN OF THE AWAHO-BUNDLE PEOPLE. 33 

to dig and dug through the earth. The Sun saw the Badger come 
out, and said, "It is well. I will make your head black ; also your fore 
legs, so that all people and animals will know that you are the one 
who dug for the people ; and you shall also be a great burrower." 

The people came out from the ground, led by Mother-Corn. The 
people were facing west, and then they walked westward. As they 
went on, they came to thick timber. They stopped. Crying and wail- 
ing went up from the people. Mother-Corn lifted up her voice to 
heaven, but there was no help. Out from the company flew a Screech- 
Owl, who said, "Mother-Corn, I will make a pathway for your people." 
The Owl flew through the timber, and made a pathway, so that the 
people could go through. The Owl and the Whirlwind are enemies. 
The Whirlwind left sickness, while the 0.wl gave roots and herbs to 
cure diseases. 

The people went on farther, and a cry was raised. — "He is com- 
ing! He is after us!" It was a wonderful animal, known as "Cut- 
Nose." This was an animal that had been a man, and he had gotten 
away from the people, but he was now trying to kill these people. 
His horns were long, and they seemed to touch the heavens. The 
people ran until they came to a chasm which they could not cross. 
Mother-Corn called on the heavens for help. The people began to 
cry and wail. For seven days the people stood. At last a bird came, 
and said, "I will do my part." The bird flew through the bank, and 
came out on the other side. The Mole then came and tried, but did 
not succeed. Now the Badger was again called on, and he it was 
who made the banks to fall on each side, so that the people crossed. 

After the people had crossed, there was rejoicing; but as they went 
on they came to another obstacle. There was wide, thick ice and deep 
water. Birds of every description tried to make a way for the people, 
but their power failed them. The birds faced the ice and water, but 
with no result. Up in the heavens was seen a bird that circled around 
until finally it flew downward and struck the waters, and it broke the 
ice. As it came towards the people, the bird said: "Mother-Corn, 
I shall make a way for your people. They shall cross this big lake and 
they shall continue the journey." The Loon then dove, and wherever 
it went, the ice and the water were thrown far away. There was now 
dry land, so that the people crossed over. 

The Loon spoke to Mother-Corn, and said: "This is your last 
obstacle. You shall meet no more." Mother-Corn began to teach 
the people ceremonies and rituals, after they had crossed, even giving 
the people things to put in bundles. W^hen the things were together 



34 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

tlie people went throug'h a ceremony. Corn was lacking for Mother- 
Corn, and Mother-Corn herself said : "Let us wait till to-nig-ht. You 
shall have a Mother-Corn, and you shall wrap 'her in a bundle. She 
will hear your prayer, and she will keep you from diseases and give 
you plenty in your fields." That night Mother-Corn disappeared ; but 
under the bundle was an ear of corn wrapped in a robe that Mother- 
Corn had had. She had taken and washed it with sweet flowers. 

As they went on they found where the other bands had camped. 
They picked up and ate what meat had been ofifered as a sacrifice to 
the gods. 

"Awaho" means "left." "deserted." for this band was left, and was 
the last people to come out from the ground. So they were called 
"Awaho." 

The other bands had gone ahead a long distance. When the 
Awaho band reached the place where the other bands had camped, 
they found bits of meat that had been offered to the gods. This is the 
way the people secured their food. 

When the Awaho people made a sacrifice of meat they took a 
j)iece off and buried it, eating what remained. The ceremony of bury- 
ing the piece of meat w-as to teach the others that this band was at 
first covered up and was under the earth. These last people, the Awaho, 
who came out from the earth, knew all the ceremonies and taught 
them to the others. As they went on, these j^eople were attacked by 
enemies and they were nearly all killed ; but the keeper of the bundle 
hid it under a bank. The bundle was wrapped up with calfskin. After 
the people had gone into camp, the women begged that they might get 
the bundle. So a man went with them, and they got the bundle. A 
ceremony was performed to purify the contents of the bundle. A 
wooden bowl of water and a bundle of yellow flowers were used to 
cleanse the sacred objects. The flowers were dipped into the water; 
then they shook the flowers over the fire and dropped a few drops; 
then the flowers were made to touch the contents of the bundle. The 
people then ran down to the river and bathed. The next day sacrifices 
of meat were made, for now the people and the bundle were cleansed. 
These were the first ceremonies given by these people. 

We are told by old people that Nesaru made the people ; that the 
people were bad, and that they were destroyed. But Nesaru made some 
animals to take kernels of corn under the ground. These kernels had 
been people, and were turned to corn by Nesaru. In this way the 
people lived under the earth for many years. This is why the animals 
brought them out from the ground and wh}' they were led. with the 



MOTHER-CORN S VISIT TO THE ARIKARA. 35 

consent of the other gods, by Mother-Corn, who was sent by a god 
in the heavens, who had a field of corn. 



9. MOTHER-CORN'S VISIT TO THE ARIKARA. 

Many, many years ago the Arikara, according to their traditions, 
were journeying west, when they were told by Mother-Corn, who had 
led them out of the ground, that in time they must dress her up and 
put her into the river ; and, as they should put her into the river, the 
priest should say, "Mother, make haste and return to us." For many 
years the Arikara continued to journey west, until at last they made a 
permanent village of earth lodges upon the Missouri River, opposite 
the city of Washburn. 

The old men tlhougiit that it was now time to send Mother-Corn 
down the stream. She was to go to the place from whence the Arikara 
originally had come, and if there were rituals and ceremonies or 
medicines that had been left behind, Mother-Corn was taken from the 
bundle and painted. A dress of tanned buffalo hide was wrapped and 
tied about the (middle of the Mother-Corn. 

While the painting and dressing of Mother-Corn was going on, 
the crier went through the village, telling the people that Mother-Corn 
was going to leave them for a period of time ; and that she was going 
to the place from whence their forefathers had come ; and that the 
Arikara people must all bring old moccasins for their Httle children ; 
and that these must be placed with Mother-Corn, so that she might 
carry the old moccasins to the place whence the people had come, so 
that the young ones might grow up in life as the Arikara people had 
grown throug*h their journey, meeting different obstacles, and finally 
settling down into a village ; that the children might grow up ; that 
although difficulties might beset their daily walks, they might overcome 
them by the power of Mother-Corn, and grow up to be strong men 
and women. 

[Rituals were now recited by Standing-Bull, which were the same 
as those recited when they were painting the chief.] After the reciting 
of the rituals the people took up Mother-Corn and took her down to 
the river. All the people turned out to witness the act. But before 
the priests threw Mother-Corn into the river, her head upstream and 
her feet downstream, the children's moccasins were tied about her 
waist. The people offered their prayers to Mother-Corn, and after 

•Told by Standing-Bull. 



/ 



36 TRADITIONS OF TH?: ARIKARA. 

praying they all began to cry. But Mother-Corn had disappeared in 
the Missouri River, and had gone with the current. 

Many years afterwards, a woman returned to the village of the 
Ankara, and as the bundle ceremonies were being given the woman 
visited these ceremonies. At last, when she visited one ceremony, a 
man recognized her as Mother-Corn. He placed her under the bundle. 
She let them know that she was Mother-Corn, and she taught them 
many ceremonies and songs that night, and she said that she always 
would be present with them; that she would never forget them; and 
that the gods in the heavens had promised her and her people length 
of life. That night Mother-Corn disappeared, and she has never been 
seen since. 



10. MOTHER-CORN'S VISIT TO THE ARIKARA. 

In olden times during time of need, it was the custom of the An- 
kara to have a ceremony in which some old man would make offerings 
to the gods and to the Mother-Corn. It seems that in this ceremonv all 
the old men who were offering smoke wanted the Mother-Corn to come, 
so that they might have plenty of corn, for it was planting season. 

Mother-Corn was pleased to have smoke with the people. Slie 
started from the east to visit these people, and came to many other 
camps, and finally came to these people. She went into the medicine- 
lodge, and all the people followed her in. She spoke to them and the 
people cried for joy. The woman was pretty. The people brought her 
all kinds of food, but she would not eat. She told them the only thing 
she could eat was a bird, such as a chicken or duck. She stayed with 
the people many days and taught them many lessons. But the people 
were now hungry for meat, for the buffalo roamed far away from them. 
They had plenty of corn, and yet they liked to 'have meat, but all the 
animals were now scarce. One wise old man took a sacred pipe and 
laid it before the Mother-Corn for an aid, because he knew that she 
had all power from Nesaru. 

Mother-Corn was much pleased to smoke with them and to oft'er 
smoke offerings to the father. Then sihe asked certain women to make 
moccasins for her, and they did so. The people gathered together in 
the medicine-lodge, while Mother-Corn sat on the altar. She put on 
one pair of moccasins and arose. She walked very slowly and when 
she had gone about twenty steps her moccasins were worn out. Then 

•ToUl by Hawk. 



HOW THE PEOPLE ESCAPED THE BUFFALO. 37 

she sat down, put on another pair and walked again. When she had 
walked about twenty steps her moccasins gave out again and she tried 
the third pair, but they too wore out. She put on the fourth pair, and 
that pair brought her back to the altar. Her walk around the fire- 
place meant that she had walked a long way off in the west, and that 
the way was very bard. At last she told the people that she had seen 
some buffalo; that in four days they were to be seen. The men 
watched every day after that, and early in the morning of the fourth 
day the buffalo were seen. 

The men went out and killed many buffalo on that day and there 
was plenty of meat. Thus, much respect and honor was paid to Mother- 
Corn. After some days another party went on a buffalo hunt, but 
Mother-Corn stayed with those who stayed in the village. It was not 
many days until enemies attacked the village. But what few men 
were there fought very hard, and at last ithey were driven out of the 
village. They took Mother-Corn out of the medicine-lodge, but before 
she escaped she was killed, causing great grief among the people. The 
Arikara were defeated on that day. They took Mother-Corn and 
buried her. From the place where she was laid, grass, weeds, bushes, 
trees, and almost everything sprang up. When the people who had gone 
out on the buffalo hunt came back they were much grieved and troubled 
on account of the loss of Mother-Corn. 



11. HOW THE PEOPLE ESCAPED THE BUFFALO.^ 

A long time ago, when the people came out through the ground, 
a woman led them through the country. This woman was known as 
"Mother." The people were human beings, and they had among them 
all kinds of animals, except the buffalo. The people traveled over the 
land, and as they went by a large lake a monster came out from the 
lake, which looked like a buffalo, for it had horns. 

The people ran, crying that this animal was coming. They said 
this animal was what they called "Cut-Nose". The animal kep^t coming, 
and at the same time there seemed to come out from under him buffalo. 
Tihe buffalo caught up with them and they killed some of the people. 
The people made canyons behind, so that the buffalo could ndt cross, 
and thus they escaped the buffalo at this time. 

While they were going on, a Whirlwind came. The people prayed 
to Mother to help them, and she turned around and told them to give 

•Told by Hawk. 



38 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

presen'ts and smoke to the W'hirhvind. The Whirlwind scattered some 
of the people over the country. The crowd went on again. 

While they were going on, again a noise was heard from behind 
and the people said, "The buffalo are coming after us again, and Cut- 
Nose is in the lead." The people ran until they came to a big timber, 
which was very thick. The Owl came, and tried to make a path for 
the people through the timber, but he failed. The people cried for help. 
The Badger worked a little, digging through the ground, but it also 
failed. The people then looked around for help. The Coyote and the 
Dog came, and they opened a way through the timber. 

These people went on, and again they looked around, and they 
saw the buffalo coming on again. The buffalo ran after the people, 
Cut-Nose with them, and they began to kill the people. The people 
came to deep water. There was no crossing, and the buflfalo were 
killing them. They called on the Mother for help. The Dogs came, 
and said, "We will try to make a pathway through this water for 
the people," but the Dogs failed. The Loons came. They made an 
opening through the waters, and the people passed through, and the 
buflfalo were left on the other side. 

The people after crossing this big water went on, and again they 
looked, and there was Cut-Nose coming with the buflfalo. The people 
ran. They came to a canyon. The people prayed to Mother to make 
a pathway. She called on the Kingfisher, who struck the l)ank on each 
side, but failed. The Mole came, struck the bank, and failed. The 
Badger then came and dug on each side of the bank. The banks fell, 
and thus a pathway was formed for the people. They went across, and 
by this canyon they made their village. 

There Mother held cercimonies for the diflferent bundles. Other 
people bad also received bundles, but no ceremony. The Awaho bundle 
people were the last to come, and they were the last to receive all the 
ceremonies from Mother, so that these people understood all the cere- 
monies. They were known as "Awaho" (Ivcft-Ijehind), for these 
people, it seems, had been left behind when the people had come out 
from the ground. So, as the Awaho people went west, following up 
the trail, they found, when they reached the camp sites of the other 
people, meat offerings to the diflferent gods. There was nothing left 
behind by the other people that the Awaho people were afraid to pick 
up, for they claimed to be under the protection of the gods, and 
therefore had a right to all the things that are offered to the gods. So 
the word "Awaho" means "Left-Behind." Also, it means that they 
may take and cook again, and eat any meat oflfering to the gods that 



WHY THE BUFFALO NO LONGER EAT PEOPLE. 39 

has been left behind. Other people who had bundles could not do this. 
They were afraid to touoh meat that had already been offered to the 
gods. 



12. WHY THE BUFFALO NO LONGER EAT PEOPLE.* 

A young man went into a village in the night, and he heard the 
people talking. He could understand their talking, and by peeping 
into their tipi, he found out that they were Buffalo people. They were 
talking about killing the people. So the young man investigated. He 
climbed up on a high arbor that iwas in front of the tipi, and there he 
took hold of a human head. He felt around over the place and he 
found human meat. He climbed down from this place, and went to 
one of the large tipis, and here the people said, "We will soon do 
what we are to do. We will get these people out of the ground, and 
we will kill them." Now the young man hid. 

By the side of the hole where the people were to come out there 
was a cut in the side of a steep bank, so that, as the people were coming 
out of the hole, the bulls circled around them and drove the people 
up into the cut, where they hooked them and killed them. The young 
man saw the people, men, women, and children running to the cut, 
and as they went they were singing and crying. The people were 
coming out from the ground. 

The young man felt sorry for the people, so that he went up 
among the hills. A strange man met him, and told him all about what 
was going on. He said : "These Buffalo have just started to eating 
people. I do not like it. Take this bow and these arrows, go to your 
home, select many young men and tell them to make bows and arrows. 
Lead them to this place, and kill and scatter the Buffalo so that they 
will not kill or eat any longer." 

The man took the bow and arrows, and the strange man stopped 
talking. The man found out that the strange man who was talking to 
him was the bow and arrows themselves. The young man then went 
to the village. He called many young men together and told them to 
make bows and arrows. 

When the people had many bows and arrows the man led them to 
the place where the people caime out from the ground. There the 
Buffalo were just trying to make the circle again around the hole, when 
these men attacked the Buffalo and commenced to kill them. Some of 

*Told by star. 



40 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

the Buffalo ran on to where the human meat was, and cried : "Get 
some of the meat and place it under your arm so that we can eat it 
whenever they let us alone." But the people kept on killing, till they 
had scattered the Buffalo out. So they became buffalo and never ate 
the people any more. 

The young man saved the people, and these people came out from 
the ground and made their home close to the village ; but finally the 
last people who came out from the ground went south, away around 
by the mountains. Later they came back to Dakota, and joined tiheir 
brothers again, where they have been ever since. 



13. WHY THE BUFFALO NO LONGER EAT PEOPLE.* 

A long time ago, while the /\rikara lived together in the village, 
it was customary to hunt in the spring. The story I am about to tell 
was told to me by my father ; for I was very small when this story was 
told by the priests : 

On one of these hunts, the people failed to find any buffalo. 
Women and children began to cry from hunger. The men took long 
journeys hunting buffalo, but they could not find any buffalo. At last 
the chief was approached by the women and asked to call on the priests 
for aid. 

The chief then took the sacred pipe from his bundle, filled it and 
took it to the lodge of the priests of the Knot-in-the-Tree (Critatao) 
bundle. The chief priest took the pipe, smoked it, and offered the 
smoke to the gods. After smoking, he said : "It is well. We will 
open the bundle and call on the gods to help us get buffalo. We will 
make an offering of gifts to the gods, so they will send buffalo." The 
chief was glad, and went to his own tipi. The chief tlien called on the 
crier to tell all the people to be silent. The priest had his tipi cleaned 
and the bundle was taken down and the other priests were sent for. 
After the priests were seated and all the chiefs had entered, the priests 
took up the gourds and began to recite a ritual that had been given to 
the people by the Buffalo. After the giving of presents — native tobacco, 
black handkerchiefs, robes, and blankets — the priests stopped singing. 
The chief priest then went out and cut a long pole, brought it to the 
lodge and tied gifts upon the pole. The pole was then set in front of 
the lodge. Gifts were placed upon the pole for the southeast God, the 
southwest God. the northwest God, and the northeast God. 

•Told by Snowbird. 



WHY THE BUFFALO NO LONGER EAT PEOPLE. 4I 

Again a ritual was recited for the buffalo to come. As they re- 
cited the ritual the errand man stood by the pole and would strike at 
the pole with an as'h stick that he had in his hand. "Come, buffalo," 
he would say, at the same time striking the pole. "You spoke to our 
people and promised to come when the people were in need of food." 
After reciting the ritual the priests recited other rituals. 

The buffalo came about three days after the ceremony. The chief 
ordered the crier to go through the village and let the men know that 
a whole buffalo was needed for the ceremony. The men went out, and 
a whole buffalo was brought into the ceremonial lodge. All the people 
were then invited, and the old priest told the people the following story : 

There was a village of Buffalo. They were human, but had horns. 
W'hen the Buffalo wanted meat they met in a tipi w'here there was the 
sacred bundle known as Knot-in-the-Tree. In this tipi a ritual was 
recited. It took them four days and four nights. The third night, the 
Buffalo gathered about the tipi where the ritual was recited. The 
fourth day, the four Buffalo Who sat singing the ritual arose and went 
to the side of a hollow cottonwood tree that stood by the side of a steep 
bank. By the tree was an ash pole. Here the whole village of Buffalo 
stood around the hollow tree. Another ritual was recited, then the pole 
was taken up and the tree was struck three times. The fourth time, 
the people were heard crying, and some were singing. The first to come 
out was a man by the name of Ctit-Nose (Kritstaricuts). This man 
seemed to be wonderful, for be always escaped his enemies. Next 
came a multitude of people. They escaped and ran over the prairie, the 
Buffalo killing them. Cut-Nose ran and returned to the hollow tree 
and crawled in, when the flood of people stopped coming out. The 
people were killed, and were taken to the tipis, where they were cut up, 
and their meat was placed upon the arbor they had built. 

In one of these runs there was one boy among the people who was 
very handsome. A Buffalo cow chased the boy away out among the 
hills, but finally gave him up. The boy kept on running until he came 
to a deep ravine. There was a thick bush of dogwood covered with 
grapevines, in which the boy hid. Now and then the boy would go 
hunting, killing small birds for his food. 

One day, as the boy was crossing a ravine, ihe saw sitting on the 
side of a hill a fine-looking woman. The woman's hair was not braided, 
and she wore a buffalo robe. The robe looked white. There was a 
peculiar look about her that attracted the young man. The woman arose 
and started west. The young man followed. Towards evening the 
young man came to a bottom land, and there he saw a fine tipi. The 



42 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

young man went to the tipi, and there in the tipi sat the same woman. 
The woman spoke to the young- man, and said, "Come in." The young 
man went into the tipi and sat down. The young man was hungry, 
and looked at the woman pitifully. The woman put her hand under 
her robe and pulled out a lump of pemmican. She handed the pemmi- 
can to the boy, and the boy ate the pemmican. When he was filled he 
hid the pemaiiican under his arm. The woman spoke to the boy, and 
said, "You may lie with me; cover yourself with part of my robe." 
So the boy lay down and went to sleep. When he woke up the woman 
was sitting by him, but there was no tipi. The woman then talked to 
the boy, and said: "I ran after you, but I did not intend to kill you. 
My people are Buffalo, and there is a way for them to become real 
animals. I selected you to be the one to turn them to buffalo, and then 
my people will not eat your people any more. My father is the chief 
of the Buffalo, and I learned by listening how your people can be saved. 
I want you to go with me to where my people are, and you will learn 
how my people kill your people. We must go and pass between the 
bulls who are stationed upon high hills. There are four circles of 
Buffalo bulls. We will have to pass through these stations unobserved." 

They began the journey, and they went between the Buffalo bulls 
who were stationed as sentinels. They went through all the circles 
of the Buffalo, and now the next thing was to enter the tipi where the 
ceremonies were held, for this was the place where the woman's father 
lived. The woinan covered the young man with her robe and they 
entered the tipi. Some of the Buffalo in the tipi, who were awake, said, 
"I smell human flesh," but others said, "It is because we have just had 
a killing." So nothing more was said about the smell of human flesh. 
The next day the boy was covered with buffalo robes, and, as all of 
the Buffalo went out, the boy felt safe. 

In the evening the Buffalo came back to the lodge. They were 
human, only they had horns and tails. These people brought in fresh 
meat and it was the human meat. Now they cooked the meat and ate. 
After eating they lighted the fire. It died out, then the girl said, "Let 
us go out, I want to show you something." So they went out. The 
boy saw arbors everywhere in the village. The girl told him to climb 
upon one of these arbors, and he did so. There he saw fresh meat of 
human and some bodies not yet cut up. The boy was scared. He told 
the Buffalo woman that he did not want to go into the tipi any more. 
The woman said: "Now you have seen .bodies of people. These peo- 
ple eat your people, and for this reason I have brought you here to 
help your people, so they can overcome the Buffalo and kill them. 



WHY THE BUFFALO NO LONGER EAT PEOPLE. 43 

When your people (have killed the Buffalo and have driven them far, 
then they will eat of the grass w*hioh Nesaru intended that they should 
eat." The woman continued, and said : "Then your people will come 
out of the ground, and you will teach them the ceremony the Buffalo 
used to sing before they went out to kill you. Come, go with me into 
the timber. You must make many bows and arrows." So they went 
into the timber, and the woman said : "Now you remain here. Do not 
be afraid, for the Buffalo are now going to sit and sing the songs, call- 
ing your people together where the tree is. Come, now go with me to 
where your people come out." 

They went, and there stood an old hollow cottonwood tree. Near 
its base was a knot where there was a hole. Lying by the tree was an 
ash stick, about six or seven feet long, and about eight inches in 
diameter. "Now," said the woman, "do you see the stick? That stick 
is what makes the people come out of that hole. You shall use that 
stick, only do as I tell you, and you will be successful. Cut-Nose is 
the one who sits at the entrance, so when the Buffalo gather about the 
tree, he is the first to come out. He gets away. The Buffalo do not 
try to kill him, for he helps the Buffalo." 

So the young man lay down in the timber, while the woman re- 
turned to the camp. Wihen it was daylight he began to make bows 
and arrows. He made many. Every night the woman would come to 
visit him. She gave ihim buft"alo meat. Thus the young man stayed 
in the timber and kept on making bows and arrows. Often the boy 
went into the village with the woman and listened to the singing of the 
Buffalo. The woman told the young man to hurry in making the bows, 
for it was nearly time for the ceremony to be over, then the Buffalo 
would march out where the tree stood. The young man now hurried 
to make the bows and arrows. For two days the ceremony was kept 
up, the singing continuing all night. The third day the boy had many 
bows and arrows completed. The woman came in the night and gave 
the boy long sinew strings for the bows. The boy put the strings upon 
the bows and now the weapons iwere completed. The woman took the 
boy into the camp, and there he heard singing. At the end of every 
tenth song the singing was stopped. In a little while the singing would 
be resumed. Now the woman told the boy that the next morning 
they would have to return to the timber and bring the bows and arrows. 

The next morning they went and brought the bows and arrows and 
placed them at the foot of the tree, the bows already strung, and the 
arrows with the bows. "Now," said the woman, "as soon as you see 
the Buffalo coming towards the tree, you run up to the tree three times, 



44 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

and you will hear shouting. As soon as you hear shouting, wailing and 
screaming, pick up the bows and arrows and give them to the men and 
tell them to shoot at the Buffalo. Do not give any bows and arrows 
to the first man iwho comes out, for his name is Cut-Nose, and he it is 
who helps the Buffalo. Give out the bows and arrows, then pick up 
your own and go to killing the Buffalo. As soon as the Buffalo see 
that your people are killing them they will run. Keep right after them, 
and scatter them as much as possible." The boy placed all the bows 
around the tree. Then he and the woman hid under the bank. 

As the sun was coming up in the east the rattles were laid down. 
Singing was stopped. There was mourning; everybody seemed to be 
crying. Then the Buffalo all came to the ceremonial lodge and stood 
around until the four priests came out, who walked towards the tree. 
The young man jumped out from his hiding place. The first man, 
whose name was Cut-Nose, came out with a warwhoop. The people 
came up next in the hollow tree. There seemed to be a strong current 
coming out from the hollow tree, blowing the people up and out of 
the tree. But as the people came out, especially men, this young man 
picked up bows and arrows, and placed them in the men's hands, and 
said: "Make haste; shoot the Buffalo. Kill them. Do not be afraid 
of them." As each of the men came out, the young man handed him 
bow and arrows, and told him to shoot and kill the Buffalo. It was 
not long until the young man had a large company of men with bows 
and arrows killing the Buffalo. As the Buffalo ran towards their vil- 
lage some one shouted and said : "Get some of the meat ! Carry it 
with you, and whenever we stop running we can have something to eat !" 
So the Buffalo people ran and picked up human meat and each placed 
the meat they picked up, under the arm, and ran. The human meat 
that they placed under their arms became a part of their flesh, for the 
people ran after them so closely that they finally became buffalo. (This 
is the reason why the Arikara used to cut the meat from under the 
shoulder and throw it away. This meat the Arikara would not eat.) 

The young man and the Buffalo woman now went to the tipi of 
the bundle and took the bundle. The people came back and burned 
everything that was in the village. Then they made a new camp and 
the Buffalo woman, who was now married to the young man, taught 
the people the songs and ceremony that go with the bundle. So these 
people became a part of the Arikara. 



When this story is told, everybody keeps quiet. 



THE GIRL WHO MARRIED A STAR. 45 

14. THE GIRL WHO MARRIED A STAR.* 

In olden times, when the people lived upon the Missouri River, 
there was a village. In this village there were two girls who, in the 
night, slept outside of their lodge on an arbor. As they lay upon the 
arbor one night they were talking about the different young men in the 
tribe whom they liked. One of them spoke of liking a certain young 
man, while the other girl said she did not like any one of the young 
men in the tribe. She looked into the sky. She saw a bright, red star 
in the heavens towards the east. She said, "Tihere stands the star I 
like, and if that star were here upon the earth I would 'marry him." 
The girls then went to sleep. 

In the morning they arose and went after water. As they were 
coming back, they saw a porcupine. The girls ran after it and tried to 
kill it. One of them said she wanted to get the porcupine, for she did 
not -have enough quills to do some of her work. The porcupine got 
to a Cottonwood tree that was near the river. The girl climbed up after 
it. The other girl wanted to go home and get an axe, so that they 
might chop the tree down, but this particular girl who had said she 
liked the star, said, "No, I can climb." She climbed the tree. 

As the girl climbed up the tree the tree grew higher. The girl 
disappeared, so the girl on the ground went home and told what had 
happened. The girl kept on climbing for the porcupine until she 
reached another world. When the girl came into the other world she 
recognized that she was in a strange country, and she began to cry. 

The porcupine had turned into a man. The man spoke to the girl, 
and said: "Why do you cry? I am the Star that you saw and that 
you said you liked. I went down after you. I turned myself into a 
porcupine and you came after me, and now you are bere in my home." 
The girl saw that the man was not young, but middle-aged, though he 
was very ihandsome. She stayed with him and liked him, but the man 
kept going away every night. She cried every night, for she wanted to 
return to her people. 

Many years afterward she gave birth to a male child. When the 
child was born his mother found the picture of a star upon his fore- 
head. This woman told her husband one time that her son wanted 
some wild turnips and that she wanted to go and dig some. The man 
told her that it was very well for her to go and dig these turnips, but 
that she must not go to the valleys to dig them, but she must go to 
high places. While sihe was out digging these turnips she thought 

*Told by Yellow-Bear. 



46 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

alx)ut her people and she began to cry. Then she vv^ent to the valley 
and dug- into the ground to get a turnip. Her digging-stick ran through 
the earth. She removed the dirt, looked down, and tliere saw the 
people underneath. She then knew that she was far away from her 
people. 

She covered the place and began to cry. While she was crying, 
she heard the voice of a woman calling her. The voice said, "My 
daughter, why are you crying?" She said: "I am crying for my 
people, for they are far away below us. I was brought up by my hus- 
band, who is a Star." The woman told the girl not to cry, for she 
would help 'her. She took the girl to h€r cave in the side of a cliff, 
and there she confronted her. She told her to tell .her husband that 
when he went ;to kill buffalo lie must take all of the sinews from one 
whole buffalo, and that when she got these sinews she must bring them 
to her; that she would make a sinew string that would reach to the 
ground below. 

The girl went home. She told her husband that she wanted to do 
much sewing, and that she needed sinew, and she wanted him to get 
all the sinew that was in a buffalo, so she could have many sinews and 
would not have to ask him for any more. The man went hunting. He 
killed a buffalo. He took all the sinews he could find. He forgot, 
'however, to get the two sinews that are in the shoulder blade of the 
buffalo. He brought the sinews to his wife, and gave them to her. 

One time when the man was away she took the sinews to the old 
woman and gave thom to her. The old woman was glad. She said : 
"Now go to your home, and remain there. I am to make a string, and 
when it is complete I shall let you know, so that }'oti then can go to 
your people." The girl \vent home and stayed, but once in a while she 
visited the old woman's dwelling place, and she saw the piles of string 
that the woman was making. As soon as the old woman had com- 
pleted the string she told the girl, and said that the girl must come to 
her place when her husband was away. The young girl had also made 
a long string of sinow, but it was separate from the string that the old 
woman had made. This she carried herself when she went to the old 
woman's place. 

They now went to the valley, and there dug a hole, large enough 
for her with her boy on 'her back to go through. After this was done 
she went to her home, put the child upon her back, covered it with her 
robe, then tied the robe about her breast. She went to the place. The 
old woman had brought a large-sized stick, w.hich was laid across the 
hole, and the sinew was tied to the pole. The girl tied the sinew about 



THE GIRL WHO MARRIED A STAR. 47 

her body and covered her hands with a part of her robe. She shpped 
down, down, down the string and after a time she found herself at the 
end of the string. The earth was still far away. She took her own 
string and tied it to the string that she was tied to. She fastened her- 
self to the other string after untying herself from the main string, and 
slid down upon it. She slid down until she had reached the end of the 
string, and she was at the height of the highest tree from the ground. 
She saw that she could not get down, so she made a loop and put her 
foot in it so that she stood upon the string, and there she hung. 

When the woman's husband came home be found her missing. He 
went out to hunt for her. After a time he came to the place where the 
hole was, and there he saw the woman hanging on the string. He 
went and took up a little stone, about the size of his thumb. He took 
tliis to the place where the hole was dug. He placed the stone on the 
string, then said, "Now I want you to slide down on the string and hit 
the woman upon the head and kill her, but do not harm my boy." As 
he let go of the stone a sound was heard like that of thunder. The 
stone slipped down upon the string and struck the woman on the top 
of the head and killed her. As the woman fell down towards the earth 
the boy slipped out from the robe upon the back of the woman and 
fell on the ground, but was not hurt. 

The boy stayed around where the woman was lying, for he was 
now about five or six years old. He would go off from his mother dur- 
ing the day and in the evening he would come back, crawl under the 
robe, and nurse at his mother's breast. He did this for many days. At 
last the boy had to leave her, so he went on west from where his 
mother lay. He came to a patch of squash and also to a cornfield. This 
he went through, taking corn from the stalks and eating it raw. He 
returned to his mother and sat there. 

In the morning, the owner of the field, who was an old woman, 
went into her field, and there she saw a child's footprints. She was so 
glad to see the footprints that she went home and made a small bow 
and some arrows. She also made a small shinny ball, and a stick. The 
old woman thought if this child was a girl it would choose the shinny 
ball and stick, and if it was a boy it would choose the bow and arrows. 
In this way she thought she could tell whether the child was a boy or 
a girl. The old woman made these things, and took them into the field 
and left them there. 

The next day, the boy went back into the field. There he saw 
these things upon the ground. When he saw the bow and arrows he 
jumped at them and picked them up. When he had picked them up he 



4S TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

went through the squash field and began to shoot at the squash. The 
old woman came upon the boy and caught him. She called him her 
grandson, and told him that she had been waiting for him for a long 
time. She took the boy home. 

The boy was satisfied to be with his grandmother. His grand- 
mother, before she went into the field, used to roast a lot of corn. 
Then she scattered this corn in her lodge, then would go out hallooing, 
and say, "Blackbirds, come and eat of this corn that I have prepared 
for you." The blackbirds would come in flocks and enter the lodge, 
and there they would eat the corn that she had scattered over the 
ground in the lodge. Then the old woman would go into her field and 
would leave the boy at home. Sometimes the boy went out to hunt 
rabbits and little birds. In the evening, when the old woman came 
home from the field, she used to take a lot of corn and put it in her corn 
mortar and pound it. She made mush out of the pounded corn. There 
was a curtain .of buflfalo hide in the lodge. The old woman, after she 
had made the mush would place a bowl of it behind the buffalo hide 
curtain. W'hy she did this the boy did not know. 

One day when the old woman had gone out to feed the blackbirds, 
the boy began to roast some corn. After he had got a big pile roasted 
he went out and yelled, and said, "Come, blackbirds, I have prepared 
for you the corn that my grandmother told me to prepare ; come and 
eat !" The blackbirds came in flocks into the lodge. The boy went out 
and stopped the smokehole with a piece of buflFalo hide, then went into 
the entrance and stopped up the passageway with a dry buffalo hide, 
so that the birds could not go out. The boy then picked up a club and 
said : "Blackbirds, I am going to kill you all, for you have been eating 
my grandmother's corn all this time. You shall not eat my grand- 
mother's corn any more." So the boy began to run around in the lodge 
after the birds, hitting them with the club and killing them. He killed 
all of them, and placed them in a pile. 

When the grandmother came home the boy said, "Grandmother, 
I have killed all these blackbirds that 'have been eating your corn all 
this time; they shall not eat your corn any more." The old woman 
appeared glad. She told the boy that he had done right in killing the 
birds. The boy said, "You may cook the blackbirds, a few at a time." 
The old woman really was not glad, for these blackbirds guarded her 
field for her. She owned these blackbirds. She placed them upon her 
robe and took them out. She brought them to life again, and said : 
"My black])irds, fly away." The old woman returned to the lodge. 



THE GIRL WHO MARRIED A STAR. 49 

The old woman then told the boy that he must go into the timber 
and cut a good-sized ash and some dogwood. The boy went and 
brought back the ash and the dogwood to the old woman. The old 
woman scraped on the ash wood, cutting it the right length for the 
bow and the right length for the arrow sticks. She then told the boy 
to go west of 'her lodge and to throw the arrows into a pond that he 
would come to. The old woman told the boy that when he should throw 
these sticks into the water he should say, "Grandfather. I want the 
strongest bow that you can give me, and I want wonderful arrows with 
it." So the boy took up the sticks and went west from the lodge. He 
came to the pond. He threw the sticks into the water, and said, 
"Grandfather, give me the strongest bow that you can give me, and 
wonderful arrows." Then the boy returned into the lodge. The next 
morning, the boy went down to the pond, and there he found a black 
bow and four black arrows. These he picked up, then he went home. 

The boy went to hunt every day, for now he had a good bow and 
gcfod arrows. One day the boy saw the old woman place a bowl of 
mush behind the buffalo curtain. When she went out to her field, 
the boy wanted to see what made the old woman place the mush behind 
the curtain, for each time she pulled out the wooden bowl that had held 
the mush, the mush was gone. The boy went to the curtain, lifted 
it up, and there he saw a serpent, with its big eyes looking at him. The 
boy then said : "Ah ! I see now ! You are the one that eats all my 
grandmother's mush." The boy took 'his bow and arrows and shot the 
serpent in the head and killed it. The serpent made one great, big 
noise, fell back, then slipped down into the pond. After the serpent 
had slipped down into the pond the water spread out and formed a lake. 

W'hen the old woman came home, the boy said. "Grandmother, I 
have killed the big monster that was lying behind the curtain, for he 
was eating all your mush." The old woman said : "My grandson, you 
did right. I am glad you killed him. He has gone back into the lake, 
where he will always remain." The old woman really was not glad, 
but mad, in her heart, for she now saw that the boy had supernatural 
powers. She wanted the boy killed. She did not let this be known, 
for she decided that she would send him to the place where her wild 
animals were stationed. When the boy was gone the old woman cried 
and mourned for her diusband, who was the serpent. She said (with- 
out the boy hearing), "My grandson, you have killed your grand- 
father." 

The next day, when the old woman was ready to go to her corn- 
field, she told the boy that he must not go to a certain place, for the 



50 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

place was dangerous. After the old woman had gone into the field 
the boy went to the place where the old woman told him not to go, 
and there he went around looking for the dangerous place. He finally 
saw a mountain-lion coming towards him, ready to leap upon him, but 
he gave a command for the mountain-lion to stop, and the mountain- 
lion obeyed. The boy went and led the mountain-lion to the old 
woman's lodge. He told the old woman to come out, that he had an 
animal for her which she could ride when she went off to her field. 
She told the boy she was glad he had brought the animal, but she whis- 
pered to herself, "Well, you must be a wonderful boy, but you shall 
be killed." She then took the animal into the 1)rush and told it to go 
away, for the boy was wonderful and might kill him. As the old 
woman was going towards the lodge she whispered to herself, ''You 
must be a wonderful boy, but I will send you to a place where you can 
not kill my animals." 

The old woman then told the boy that he must not go to a certain 
mountainous place, for the place was dangerous. The boy went, not- 
withstanding. There he found the cinnamon bear coming to attack 
him. He commanded the bear to stand still and do nothing. The bear 
obe}ed. The boy then caught the bear by the ear and led it into the 
old woman's lodge. He said : "Grandmother, I have an animal for 
you that is very tame. You can ride it, and you can have it to help 
you clear your field." The old woman appeared to be glad, but she was 
not. She took the bear, led it into the timber, and told it to go away, 
for the boy was wonderful and might kill it. 

The old woman then told the boy that he must not go into the 
southwest country; that there were four wonderful men there. The 
boy went, though, and he saw the four wonderful men killing buffalo. 
These men looked up. and said : "Here comes Old-Woman's-Grand- 
son. He is a wonderful boy." The boy got to where the men were 
skinning a buffalo cow, and, as the entrails were taken out, the boy saw 
that the cow had a calf in her and that the men were taking it out. 
The youngest man picked the calf up, and said, "Old-Woman's-Grand- 
son, take this to your grandmother." The boy jumped away from it, 
for he was scared. When the youngest of the men found out that the 
boy was afraid of the calf he kept on trying to get it near him. Old- 
Woman's-Grandson kept running from the calf, until he came to a 
tree. He climbed the tree. The young nian placed the calf on the forks 
of the tree, so that the boy could not get down. The men then went 
home witli their meat. The boy stayed in the tree many days, and 
nearly starved, when one of the men came, and said, "Old-Woman's- 



THE GIRL WHO MARRIED A STAR. 5 1 

Grandson, if you will promise your grandmother to us, I will take this 
calf down." The boy said, "I promise." So the man took the foetus 
down. 

The boy caime down from the tree and went home. The old 
woman, when she saw the boy coming back, said that she was glad to 
see him again, for she thought that he had been killed. She asked the 
boy where he had been, and what had kept him so long. He told her 
that the men had tried to kill him by placing the foetus next to him. 
He also said that he had had to promise the men that they could have 
her if they would remove the foetus from the tree ; that he had prom- 
ised and they had removed the foetus. The old woman said that it 
was well, but that she had one thing to ask of them, and that was, that 
they should give the boy something in return for his grandmother. So 
the boy went and visited these men in their lodge. He said to the men : 
"What is it that you are to give me in return for my grandmother? 
My grandmother has consented to marry you men." The men said, 
"We are to give you a bow and arrows." The boy went home and 
told his grandmother that they were to give him a bow and arrows. 
The old woman said : "That is good. That is what I wanted you to 
have. Go to the lodge of the wonderful men, and as you enter the 
lodge, rush around to the south side of the lodge, where there are five 
bows set up. The middle bow you shall take up, and say, 'This I shall 
take in return for my grandmother.' " So the boy went into the lodge 
with the men. He ran to the south side of the lodge, and there the 
bows were, leaning up against the wall of the lodge. He picked up 
the middle bow and arrows. The men were all sorry that the boy had 
picked out the middle bow and arrows. The boy then told the men 
they could go to the home of his grandmother and be with her. Itaque 
hi ad anus domicilium venerunt ibique cum ea sicut cum uxore con- 
cubuerunt. 

After they had left the lodge the old woman called the boy, and 
said, "Take this flute and play around the lodge of these wonderful 
men." Her grandson took the flute and went to the lodge of the won- 
derful men and there he played the flute, circling around the lodge. 
When the wonderful men heard the flute they were scared. They 
closed up their lodge with earth. The boy kept on whistling, for he 
was now taking revenge on them for trying to put the foetus next to 
him. The men lived on the meat they had in their lodge, but this soon 
gave out. These wonderful men died of hunger, and were never to 
be known again upon the earth. 



52 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

The youngs man went home and told the old woman that the men 
had died ; that the earth had closed in on them. The old woman was 
satisfied. Then she thought, "Now is the time to send my grandson to 
dangerous places, so that he may be killed, and I shall be freed from 
him." The grandmother told the boy he must not go upon a certain 
hill, for the place was very dangerous. The bo}' went upon the hill, 
and there he found a den. He entered this den. He found that it was 
a den of Snakes. Before the boy entered the den he picked up a little 
rock and took it with him, and when lie sat down in the lodge in the 
den of Snakes he placed the stone upon the ground and sat upon it as 
upon a stool. The Snakes were glad to see the boy. The boy said : 
"Well, you people are here in a den, trying to catch eagles. It seems 
to me that you people ought to welcome a stranger to your den. It 
seems that I am not welcome." The Snakes all spoke up, and said : 
"Old-Woman's-Grandson, you have spoken the truth. We will now 
give you something to eat." So one of the Snakes spread out hot coals 
and placed a long gut for the boy to eat. This was rolled in the hot 
coals until it was burned a little, then it was taken oflf and given to the 
boy to eat. The boy took up the gut by each end and placed the ends 
together. He commenced to tell the Snakes that he had come a long 
way and was very hungry ; that he would very much like to eat that, 
but as he saw that the gut was not well done he could not eat it. He 
twisted the ends, and the Snakes whispered to one another, "Why, he 
knows that this is a Snake, for he has twisted the head off." As he 
twisted the head off he saw plainly that it was a Snake. He threw the 
head into the fire and placed the gut upon the hot coals again and 
roasted it some more. He left the Snake burning until it was burned 
so that he could not eat it. Once in a while he would hear the Snakes 
say, "What are you waiting for?" Then some Snake would disappear 
in the ground and would couie up and try to get into the boy's rectum, 
and they would hit the rock and tell the rest of the Snakes that they 
could do nothing, that the boy was sitting upon a rock. 

Soon the boy said: "It is well that we should tell some tales." 
The Snakes said, "Let Old-Woman's-Grandson tell his story first." 
But the boy said, "No, you tell the first story." The leader, the chief 
of the Snakes, who was very large, said that he would tell a story. 
This Snake began to tell a story of how a girl had said she liked a cer- 
tain Star, and how the next day, the girl found the porcupine ; that the 
porcupine had climbed the tree and she also had climbed it; that the 
tree had stretched and went up to the Star that the girl liked ; that the 
Star had married this girl ; that a boy had been born to them ; that the 
boy had the image of a star upon his forehead ; that the boy's father 



THE GIRL WHO MARRIED A STAR. 53 

was a Star; that the woman had requested her husband to get sinews 
for her ; that this woman had given the sinews to an old woman that 
she might make a sinew string; that the Star had forgotten to get the 
two sinews under the shoulders of the buffalo, and for that reason the 
string had proved too short to reach the ground ; that the Star .had 
missed his wife and child ; that he had hunted and had found a hole in 
the ground ; that the Star had picked up a stone and had sent it down 
on the string to kill the woman, telling it to save the child ; that the 
child had stayed around its mother until she had decayed ; that the 
child had gone to the old woman's lodge and gone into her field ; that 
the old woman had made bow and arrows and a shinny ball and stick, 
had placed them in the field, so that she might find out whether the 
child was a boy or a girl ; that the boy had come and picked up the bow 
and arrows and had gone to shoot at the squash in the field ; that the 
old woman had caught the boy and had taken him home and made him 
her grandson, when he became known through the country as "Old- 
Woman's-Grandson ;" that through the boy's powers he had scattered 
the blackbirds through the earth ; that the mountain lions were also 
scattered through the earth ; that the bears were scattered through the 
earth ; that even the water-serpent had been killed and sent back to the 
lake ; that the serpent had been the boy's grandfather ; that the boy had 
killed the old woman's husband, who was really his grandfather ; that 
the boy had visited the four wonderful men ; that the four wonderful 
men had found a foetus in a buffalo cow ; that they had tried to put it 
next to him to scare him ; that the boy had climbed the tree and they 
had placed the foetus at the forks of the tree, so that he could not climb 
down ; that the boy had offered his grandmother to the four wonderful 
men to get the men to take away the foetus and let him down the tree ; 
that the boy had taken the wonderful bow and arrows from the four 
wonderful men ; that these men had married the old woman ; that after- 
wards the boy was given a flute by his grandmother, which was done 
that he might take revenge upon the four wonderful men ; that he had 
killed the four wonderful men, so they would be no longer on the earth ; 
that now Old-Woman's-Grandson had come to the people who were 
sitting in a den trying to catch eagles ; that he now sat before them, 
sitting on a rock ; that he was given a long gut to eat, but that he had 
found out that it was a Snake ; that he had thrown it in the fire and 
burned it. "This," said the leader, "ends our story. Old-Woman's- 
Grandson will now please tell us a story." 

The boy then began to tell about himself, just as the Snake had told 
it, following it up. "Now," said the boy, "as the people in the den were 
sitting around, listening to Old-Woman's-Grandson, there came a 



54 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

strong- wind from the southeast, and blew towards the den." As the 
wind blew from the southeast the Snakes on that side went to sleep. 
Then he told about the wind coming from the southwest, and those 
Snakes in the southwest went to sleep. Then the wind from the north- 
west came, and those who were there went to sleep. Then the wind from 
the northeast came, and those Snakes on that side went to sleep. Now 
the boy waved his hand all around the circle, and all went to sleep as 
they were listening to Old-Woman's-Grandson. 

In the center was the fire. There was a long stick in the form of a 
circle around the den, and all the Snakes were upon this, in a circle all 
around. The boy now arose, took his flint knife, and commenced to 
cut the heads on the stick around the fireplace. When he came to the 
last one, it opened its eyes and woke up. It ran into a hole, and said, 
"Old-Woman's-Grandson, watch yourself, for hereafter I am your 
enemy." The Snake disappeared in the ground. 

Now the boy went out and went home, and he told the old woman 
that he had killed the Snakes. The old woman was then afraid of the 
boy. She knew that he was wonderful. After that, the boy watched 
himself in all of his journeys, because of the Snake he had failed to kill. 
Wlienever he wanted to drink he had to go among the rocks, where he 
would drink from the pools of water. The boy could not drink water 
from the springs, for the Snake was always ready to jump into his 
mouth. When the boy wanted to sleep he lay down, placing the arrows 
he had as follows : One outside of each knee and one outside of each 
shoulder, sticking them in the ground. The bow the boy used for a 
pillow. Whenever the Snake approached him sleeping the arrows fell 
upon him, so that he woke up. 

The boy became very sleepy one time, for he had not slept much 
during all this time. He lay down, and placed the arrows as usual, 
and went to sleep. The Snake came. One of the arrows fell on the boy, 
but failed to wake him. Another fell on him, but he did not wake. 
Then another arrow fell, then the last one fell, but the boy did not wake. 
The Snake crawled up to the boy, and, as it reached his stomach, the 
boy, in his sleep, reached for his knife and made motions to cut the 
Snake, but the Snake kept on going. The boy kept trying to get the 
Snake, but it went into the boy's mouth. It crawled up into the skull 
and nestled itself there. The boy lay there as though dead ; but the 
Snake knew that the boy was not dead. The Snake remained there 
until the boy dried up and became nothing but a skeleton. 

The father of the boy studied hard as to how to get the Snake 
out of the boy's skull. Although the bov was dead, the skull was the 



THE GIRL WHO MARRIED A STAR. 55 

living part of the boy. The boy's father then found a plan for get- 
ting the Snake out. A storm came from the north. It rolled the skull 
over and turned it up so that the hole in the skull was upward, and 
as the rain fell it ran into the skull and filled it with water. This did 
not drive the Snake out. The father called on the Sun to get nearer 
to the earth, so as to heat the skull so that the Snake would have to 
jump out. The Sun moved towards the earth and heated the skull. 
Soon the water was boiling. It became too .hot for the Snake, and 
finally the Snake crawled out of the skull. No sooner had it got out 
than the boy stood up and caught the Snake by the neck. He then 
took up stones and hit the Snake's snout, so that it made its head 
short. Then the boy sat down upon a rock and began to rub the 
Snake's teeth upon it, and said, "Now you must promise that you 
will never bother people again." The snake promised. The Snake, 
as it was turned loose, said, "Once in a great while I shall bite people, 
but not often." The boy reached for the Snake and it disappeared, — 
that is why the people get bitten by snakes once in a great while. 

The boy then returned to his grandmother, who was glad to see 
him. The boy told his grandmother that she was now free to do as 
she pleased, for he was going ofif ; that the country was now free from 
wild animals. So the old woman disappeared, and the boy went south- 
east to the village of the people. 

There the boy told his story, and the people knew that he was 
the son of the girl who 'had climbed up the oottonwood tree. The 
boy did many wonderful things for the people, and the people said that 
it was through the boy that the people oould travel through these wild 
countries, for now all the wild animals had been scattered and were 
not as fierce as they had been before. The old woman had disap- 
peared and had made her camp in some other place. The boy died 
after he had cleared the country of all the wild animals. 

There is an old cottonwood tree on the south side of the Mis- 
souri River, close to the place known as Armstrong, that the people 
claim is the tree that stretched upward, taking the girl up to the Star. 
Still south of the cottonwood tree is the place where the people say 
the stone is that was thrown down by the Star and which killed the 
woman. To the west is the lake where the monster fell. At the south- 
west of the cottonwood, it is supposed, was the Snake den. The people 
say that to-day snakes are very numerous there. South of this place, 
among the hills, is where the mountain-lion is supposed to have been. 
Close to the cottonwood, in the timber along the Missouri River, is 
the place where the bear is supposed to have been. 



56 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

15. THE GIRL WHO MARRIED A STAR.* 

One night two pretty young maidens were sleeping on top of a 
summer arbor. They were ill with monthly sickness. One said, 
"Kario, I love that little bright star, and I wish it was my husband." 
That same night, while sleeping, the girl was taken away up in the 
heavens, to live with her husband, he giving her instructions what to 
do and what not to do. He could not always stay at home, as he was 
in the chase. One of the instructions was that the woman should 
never dig up an Indian turnip at slough-like places. While her hus- 
band was away, the woman determined she would discover the mys- 
tery connected with her husband's injunction. When she had dug the 
turnip she saw what the mystery was. She saw the people living on 
this earth looking like crawling insects. 

When she saw this she cried and cried and cried. She went to an 
old woman for comfort. The old woman saw that the woman had 
been crying; so she questioned her and found out her trouble. The 
woman answered that she could easily be relieved of her trouble. So 
she advised her to collect all the sinew she could find from the meat 
her husband brought. 

The girl told her husband she wanted all the sinew there was in all 
the game he killed, even the very smallest piece. Her husband did 
as she asked, not knowing her intention. When a very large number 
had been made the woman took the sinew and went to the old woman, 
who began to make what she had promised to make for her. "Come 
back in a few days," she said, "and I will have the thread ready for 
vou. Remmember to come when your husband goes on a long chase." 

The husband started on a chase, and the girl went to the old 
woman's lodge and told her that her man had gone. The old woman 
got her sinew rope and fixed it around the woman's waist and began 
to let her down — down — down. She went with her first child on her 
back. The place she started down was where she had dug up the for- 
bidden root. The twine was lacking about twenty or more feet. The 
old woman was an old spider, it was found. Old Spider-Woman did 
not have enough cobweb and sinew, so the woman hung on the rope, 
not able to touch the earth. 

When her husband returned he found his wife missing. He be- 
gan to look for her. He thought at once of his order, and so went 
out where she usually dug. He found a stick in the grass. He dis- 
covered the rope tied around the stick, and his wife and child hanging 
away down near the earth. He picked up a stone and talked to the 

'a'old by Whitc-Bear. 



THE GIRL WHO MARRIED A STAR. 57 

stone, saying-, "Do not harm the boy, but kill the mother." Down — 
down — went the stone, and struck the young mother on the head; it 
cut the rope and her body fell ; but the boy was safe. The boy stayed 
by his mother's body and fed himself at her breast for a time. Her 
body began to decay. 

The boy went off and got into a cornfield, not knowing that it 
was corn. When lonesome he returned to his mother. The owner of 
the field was an old woman. She saw the footprints in her field. She 
wondered what it could be. She made a little ball and a crooked stick, 
also a little bow and arrows. She thought if it was a girl she would 
take the ball and crooked stick, but if it was a boy he would take the 
bow and arrows. When the old woman looked she found the little 
fellow had taken the bow and arrows. 

The old woman was very joyful. The little fellow had done much 
damage to her squash vines with his bow and arrows. She went out 
and hid in the field, waiting for the little fellow. The boy came as 
usual with his weapons and the old woman sprang out and caught him, 
saying, "Oh, atine, atine ; you are to come home with me." 

She took the boy home and gave him food, such as fresh corn 
mush, succotash, and squash. The boy seemed quite happy. When 
the woman went out to work he amused himself with his arrows, shoot- 
ing little birds in the field, and on his grandmother's return he would 
bring the birds for her to eat. She was a happy grandmother, proud 
of her little grandson. The boy grew larger. When he began to make 
his own bows and arrows to his taste he began to bring home larger 
game, such as deer and antelope. His grandmother was still happier. 

The boy's grandmother was accustomed to place under a curtain 
which was always closed, a big wooden pan of whatever they had 
to eat, before she went to her work. The boy, noticing this, made up 
his mind to find out what it was. While she was gone, he moved the 
curtain and beheld a huge serpent with large yellow eyes. The boy 
said within himself: "Ah! here is the one that eats up everything 
that grandmother puts here." He took his bow and arrows and shot 
and shot, until he killed it. 

The boy's grandmother came in. The boy spoke up, and said : 
"Grandmother, I have killed the bad one that ate up everything you 
placed under that curtain." The old woman appeared glad of it, but 
was hurt at heart. She covered the serpent and placed it in a pool. 
The serpent said that he could not do anything, because the boy was 
gifted with a great mysterious power of his father. The dead serpent 
was the husband of this grandmother. 



58 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

The grandmother, wounded at heart, planned to have the boy 
killed in some way. She forbade him to ever go into the timber near 
by, because there were all sorts of dangers there. In this timber, she 
said, was a bear that wanted to tear him into small strips. When the 
old woman had gone he started out to the forbidden place. He found 
the bear, captured him and thought he was strong and would do to 
haul corn and wood for his grandmother. On her return she saw the 
great, big black bear tied. The boy spoke up, saying, "I have here a 
strong animal which will work for us.'' The old woman appeared to 
be happy, but felt hurt that the boy could have captured the bear. She 
was the owner of all animals around, both good and bad. She turned 
the bear loose and explained the case to the boy, saying she could not 
use the bear in any way. 

One day the boy was gone all day and all night. His grand- 
mother now thought him dead. Roaming around, the boy found a 
tipi. In the tipi were four strong-looking men. Around the fire was 
the meat of a whole buffalo and an elk. The boy stood on one side 
looking at the game. The men were playing with plum dice in a basket. 
The interest of these men was very noticeable. One man's nose got 
very dirty, but he would not move to clean it. The boy outside did not 
like it. He took his arrow and shot through the hole he was peeping 
through. The arrow cleaned the man's nose. The men rushed out 
and gave the boy a hearty welcome, for they had already heard of his 
wonderful doings. They took him in and gave him a whole buflfalo 
to eat. He began to eat, and ate as much as usual. The men began to 
ask why he did not eat more. He said he could not, as he had had his 
fill. The men ate heartily. They cleared the meat that was before 
them. The men asked him to stay all night. They invited him to 
join them on a hunting trip. 

Next day they started. They killed an elk. They dressed it and 
found a foetus. As courtesy, the hunters took the foetus and placed 
it l>efore the boy to take home with him. The boy was affected. He 
asked them to remove the foetus. He was standing by a tree. He 
started up the tree. The men, seeing he was afraid of it, moved it, 
little by little, toward him. They were afraid of him and were trying 
to do everything to get. rid of him. The boy was afraid of the foetus. 
He would not come down while it was in the way. The men came 
home. By and by a man was sent out to see if the boy was there. 
Coming to the spot he found the boy still there. The boy asked the 
man to remove the foetus. He refused. He went home and reported 
all he had seen. In about four davs the men came around and found 



THE GIRL WHO MARRIED A STAR. 59 

the boy still there. They found him very thin, and suffering for food 
and water. He would not come down while the foetus was there. 
The men made a conditional offer, — if he would deliver up to them 
his grandmother they would remove the foetus. The boy said he 
would. They removed the foetus. The boy started home at once. He 
told his grandmother what had happened and what he had done. 
Out of love for his life he had given her up to these men. 

The grandmother was happy on his return. She said she would 
grant hio request. About two days after, she and the boy started out 
where the men were. They stopped at the entrance of the tipi until 
they heard a voice from within asking them to step in. The boy said, 
"Nawa, I have done what I agreed to do. Here is my grandmother." 
"Ah ho ! Ah hi !" they replied, "you were honest and have done as 
you agreed to do. That is the way for noble boys to do. As this is 
a bargain for your life we will do all we can for you to turn our 
power and skill over to you." Now they began to teach the boy the 
ceremony of catching eagles and of hunting. "It was our desire to 
have your grandmother, and as you have been true to your agreement, 
we are glad." All were satisfied. The grandmother and son then 
went home. 

The next day the boy started out on the prairie for game. He 
met a camp of Snakes, mostly deadly Rattlesnakes, and there were all 
the other kinds of Snakes. They were glad to have him come. They 
invited him in. They gave him the best seat. He knew what danger 
there was to meet. So as he sat down he took out a smooth stone 
which he used for sharpening his knife, and placed it in his anus. The 
room was clean and there was a ridge around the fire for a pillow. 
Time and again he noticed a Snake disappear and attack him where 
he had defended himself. He knew it. They said : "He must be 
hungry. Give him something." They gave him a spleen. He took 
it and looked at it. He replied that he could not eat it raw ; so he 
poked up the fire and threw the spleen in. It cracked and made the 
audience wild. The spleen was the teeth of all these Snakes. The 
boy knew the secret and could not be fooled so easily. 

The Snakes, resting on the square pillow-like structure, demanded 
of the boy that he relate some happenings or stories, to pass the night 
pleasantly. He refused to be first. He agreed to take his turn with 
them. They began. Each Snake had for his subject the life of their 
guest and that of his grandmother. When all were through with their 
stories the boy began his story: "Nesaru commanded the winds to 



6o TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

blow ; at evening- they stop, the trees stop rusthng-, the grass keeps on 
for a while, but they all fall asleep." This much of the story put a 
part of them to sleep. "Nesaru sends hurricanes of trials and hard- 
ships in our lives ; the same to all kinds of trees and to large, deep 
rivers ; they rage and beat against their banks, the water gets dirty, 
there comes on the gentle night, soft breezes, the trees quiet down, the 
rivers are calmed, the waters clear up and they are asleep." This was 
the end of the boy's story. The remainder of them fell asleep. 

The boy thought of how he was to have been treated, and he de- 
cided to be avenged. He took from his belt his sharp knife and cut 
along a straight line on the square sitructure, cutting off the head of 
every Snake until he came to the last one, which slid away, saying as 
he went, "Old-Woman's-Boy, I will remember all." 

As the boy left he was very particular as to how he should carry 
himself. Having gone many miles he thought all danger was over. 
He placed his arrows around him, bidding them to awaken him when 
danger was near. 

While he was sleeping his enemy came. Before the arrow could 
give the alarm the Snake entered his body. Grasping his knife he cut 
his stomach open. Up went the snake's head to his breast. He cut his 
breast open. Up it went to his throat. He cut his throat open. Up 
it went, into his head, and rested there. His father above knew all 
of this. He sent a great wind which turned the boy's head over, so 
that his opened oesophagus turned toward the wind. Then came a 
hard rain, filling every corner of his head. The Snake's head would 
peep out of the boy's head, but the boy would say, "Old-Woman's 
Grandson is still alive." There came a scorching heat, and the water 
began to make the Snake peep out its head, but the boy would say, 
"Old-Woman's-Grandson is still alive." It got too hot for the Snake. 
It fled, and the boy sprang to his feet and caught it. "You will suffer 
punishment, and you will always be ashamed and crawl on your body 
in the dirt, your head down, avoiding all decent creatures that Nesaru 
■made." He took the Snake and knocked his head on a flat rock until 
it was flat and its eyes were close to its mouth. 

The reason the boy was afraid of the foetus was that it was the 
time of the year when all young animals are as yet unborn, and the 
cluster of stars to which the boy's father belonged is never seen at 
this time to come up with the rest. The boy knew that his father could 
not be present to help him, and so he did not dare to do anything to help 
himself. 



NO-TONGUE AND THE SUN AND THE MOON. 6l 

16. NO-TONGUE AND THE SUN AND THE MOON * 

There was a young man in a village who wanted to be great. In 
olden times the chief thing among the people was to be a great warrior. 
The young men in those times used to go out among the hills, and 
then find a place to stand and mourn. The}' used to stay away from 
home four or five days without drinking or eating. 

Now this particular young man went out alone, upon a high hill, 
to mourn. In the afternoon a little bird came to him, and said : "This 
is not the place where you should stand. I will show you where you 
must stand." So the little bird flew and the boy followed. The bird 
stopped at a certain place, and the boy stood there. Late in the even- 
ing a man came to the boy. The man was all painted red, and he said 
to him : "I am glad to see you. You are going to be my son, and I 
am going to take you with me now. All I want from you is youT 
tongue." So the young man pulled his tongue out, cut it off and handed 
it to the man. As he handed his tongue to the man ihe fell down and 
died. It was now dark, and as the young man fell the Moon rose and 
saw this young man fall down, and the Moon said to himself: "That 
man who has killed this young man is always trying to do something 
that is not right. I know who that man is ; it is the Sun. I know that 
he has taken this young man's tongue." So the Moon went to the 
young man and touched his feet, and the young man waked and sat up. 

When No-Tongue saw the strange man he did not know what 
to do. He was not the same man who had taken his tongue. This 
man looked white, because he was the Moon. The Moon asked No- 
Tongue why he had given away his tongue and to whom he had given 
it. No-Tongue answered, "How can I talk without a tongue?" The 
Moon said, "Speak, and tell me." So the boy spoke, and he found 
that ihe was able to talk. So he began io tell what the man looked 
like. The Moon said he was sure that the man was the Sun. Then 
the Moon spoke to No-Tongue, and said : "The Sun was trying to 
kill you. No-Tongue, hereafter you shall be my son ; but let your 
other father, the Sun, come after you first. I must tell you what to 
say. You will not be killed by the Sun. The Sun is coming for you 
to-morrow morning, and when you go up to our dwelling place (the 
heavens) he is going to show you some things that he has. You must 
now be careful not to take the new things that he has, but you shall 
take the old things. Take the old weapons. The Sun thinks a great 
deal of these old weapons." This is all that the Moon said. The Moon 
then disappeared. 

*Told by Standing-Bull. 



62 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

In the morning, the Sun came to No-Tongue and took him up 
into the sky to his home, and said, "Now, my son, I want you to choose 
of these things that I have here." No-Tongue took the oldest things. 
When the Sun saw tiliat Xo-Tongue took the best things — the oldest 
ones — he came out from his lodge crying, because this would give No- 
Tongue a long life, and would also make him become great, and this 
was what the Sun did not want of No-Tongue. He had thought that 
No-Tongue would surely take the new things. But if No-Tongue had 
taken the new things, that would have shortened his life and made it 
impossible for No-Tongue to become great. Then the Sun began to 
think of some way to kill No-Tongue, but he never could take back 
the things No-Tongue had taken, having promised them to him. As 
they came out from the Sun's lodge the Sun said: "My son, look. 
There is your home. Look all around you. You can see everything 
plainly. When you go home, after two days have passed, you must 
go on the war-path, and you will conquer old enemies. You will have 
all you want. You are to be great. But when you, my son, go home, 
give to me a white buffalo robe." So the Sun went away. 

When night came, the Moon came out and spoke to No-Tongue, 
and asked what the Sun had said to him. No-Tongue told the Moon 
all that the Sun had told him, and the Moon said, "Do not give him 
the white buflfalo robe, but give that to me, and get a dark-brown robe 
for the Sun." The Moon then began to tell No-Tongue what to do. 
He told him to get some white clay and make powder out of it, and 
then pour the white powder all over the robe, so that it would lode 
white. So No-Tongue did as he was told to do. 

When the Sun received the white buffalo robe, which really was 
not white, he was proud of it ; furthermore, he was proud that his 
son had obtained it for him. One day he hung the robe out, and the 
wind was blowing hard. The wind shook all the white clay out of 
the robe, so that the robe turned to a dark-brownish color. Then the 
Sun saw that it was not a real white buffalo robe, and did not like it. 

When the Moon and the Sun got together, the Sun said, "I am 
sorry for what my son has done to me, and now my dear son is going 
to kill him." The Sun had a son who belonged to another tribe, and 
this was the son who was to kill No-Tongue. So the Moon heard all 
that the Sun had to say. 

One night the Moon saw No-Tongue, and told the young man 
all tliat the Sun had said. The Moon said that the Sun could not do 
anything to kill him. The Aloon said : "The man that you are to 
fight with is going to try to shake hands with vou, because he is vour 



NO-TONGUE AND THE SUN AND THE MOON. 63 

cousin, — not a real cousin, but because you are the son of the Sun and 
so is he, — so he is your cousin. He is the one who has been selected 
to kill you. But do not be afraid ; I shall be with you and will help 
you all I can. Do not shake hands with the young man, your cousin, 
and if you must shake hands, do not shake with your right hand. Be 
very careful not to let him strike you first. If you should shake hands 
with him, strike him. You must not let him strike you first ; and when 
you have killed him, cut his head ofif and put it under a big stone that 
shall be near you, so that the Sun will not make him live again. By 
placing the head under the stone the Sun will be prevented from bring- 
ing him to life." The Moon also said, "Be careful to do what I have 
told you to do." No-Tongue was glad. The Moon also told No- 
Tongue that the young man he was to fight with was named Little-Sun. 
Two days after this some warriors went out on the war-path. 
Before they had gone far the Sun went to No-Tongue, and said : 
"My son, I am glad you are going on the war-path ; I want you to 
kill a man for me. He is coming. He thinks he is great, but he is not. 
So kill him for me." The Sun said all of this, not meaning it, for he 
was planning that Little- Sun might kill No-Tongue. So the warriors 
started on the war-path, and in a few days they came to the place 
which they thought would be a good place to remain for a while. The 
leaders selected scouts to go out and look over the country. The 
scouts went up a high hill, and there they met the spies of the enemy 
coming up from the other side. These did not stop, but turned straight 
back again, and went and told the enemy, and of course the other 
scouts turned back and told their leaders that the enemy was coming. 
So in the morning, the two sets of people came together, and they 
fought a battle ; but before starting the battle there was a man who 
stood in front of the enemy's line, and said, "No-Tongue, I want you 
to come and shake hands with me, for you are amongst those people." 
No-Tongue went to him, and when they were nearly together, every- 
body saw that the two were dressed so as to look very much alike, but 
they did not know that they were to fight each other ; but the two 
knew that they were to fight, and that they were both sons of the Sun, 
No-Tongue did what the Moon had told him to do. He killed Little- 
Sun. Then No-Tongue's people defeated the enemy. They took many 
scalps, and returned home. 

The Sun became mad at No-Tongue, because he had killed Little- 
Sun, for the Sun had expected No-Tongue to be killed. The Sun had 
tried three times to kill No-Tongue ; so the fourth time, the Sun 
himself was going to scalp No-Tongue, so that the people would make 



64 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

fun of him. Then the Sun told his other son, Big-Sun, to try and kill 
No-Tongiie. No-Tongue was tJlic only one living. He was the one 
who had not treated his father, the Sun, right, for the Sun had not 
treated No-Tongue right in the first place. But No-Tongue had been 
assisted by the Moon. 

The third time the Sun tried to kill No-Tongue, he changed 
himself into a Buffalo, so that the Buffalo ran after No-Tongue, but 
the young man, No-Tongue, ran into a mud-hole, and the Buffalo 
fell in too. No-Tongue got out of the muddy place, but the Buffalo 
could not come out, because he was so heavy. No-Tongue told a lot 
of men to get some dried willows and to place them upon the back 
of the Buffalo. This they did. They set the wood on fire, so that 
the Buffalo burned up. 

In the evening, when the Sun and ^loon were together in the 
heavens, the Sun said : "I shall do something to No-Tongue, some 
way." The Moon heard the Sun say this. Then the Sun said to the 
Moon : "Just see what my son No-Tongue has done ; he burned my 
back. To-morrow morning I am going to scalp him, so the people in 
the village will be afraid to see him, and so they will make fun of him." 

Then the Moon went to No-Tongue in the night, and said : "My 
son, you always like to be up early in the morning, singing. I want 
you to get a good scalp to-night — ^one that has hair, just like this. Then 
kill a dog and get some of its blood, put the blood inside the scalp, and 
put the false scalp over your head so your hair will not show. 

The boy got the scalp with the hair on it, killed a dog, put some 
of the blood in the scalp and hung it over his bed. Early in the morn- 
ing, before the Sun rose, the boy arose, put the scalp over his head, 
went out, and sang some songs through the village. As the Sun came 
up in the east the boy heard a noise, and the Sun took the scalp off 
from the boy, so that the blood ran down. When the Sun saw that he 
was satisfied. The boy went into the lodge, washed, came out again, 
and the Sun saw that the boy had hair on, and that he was not really 
scalped. When the Sun reached the Moon he told him that he was 
g-oing to let No-Tongue alone until he was old and great, and that he 
was then going to take him up to his home. 

The Moon came to No-Tongue and told him what the Sun, his 
father, had said. Years went by, and No-Tongue lived peacefully. 
Finally he became old and blind. At this time the people were about 
to move away from this place to another place. The Moon came and 
told old man No-Tongue that it was time his father, the Sun. was 
coming after him to take him up to his home ; and that he himself 
would come with the Sun to take him up ; that he should not be afraid. 



HOW BURNT-HANDS BECAME A CHIEF. 65 

While they were breaking camp the old man took his clothes that 
he used to wear in his early days, and put them on. He also painted 
himself. He told the people to go on; that he himself would come 
later. The people went on. The old man went up on the top of a hill, 
made a circle of red sticks to represent the Sun, and another of white 
sticks, to represent the Moon, for the west side. While he was doing 
this the Sun and Moon came. The Sun wanted to know what the 
Moon was doing there. No-Tongue said, "iNIy father, the Moon is 
also my father; he has helped me all along." So the Sun was satis- 
fied, and the Sun took the old man up to his home. 

Several days afterwards, four }-oung men went to the place where 
the old man had sat, and he was gone. The sticks were there as he had 
left therri,. but No-Tongue was gone. He was never heard from or seen 
again after that. He was called "No-Tongue," for the Sun had taken 
his tongue, but after he had failed to kill him, he gave him back his 
tongue. 

ir. HOW BURNT-HANDS BECAME A CHIEF.* 

There was a large village in a beautiful valley near a large tract 
of timber. It was in the winter time. Around the outside of the vil- 
lage and over a knoll lived Stanapaat, or Burnt-Hands, a boy of about 
eleven or twelve years, and his grandmother. The boys in the village 
came over the knoll to urinate on the tipi of these poor people. In this 
village lived one of the chiefs who had four daughters, the youngest 
of which was very charitable toward these poor people. Her name 
was Last-Child. She brought food to these folks whenever she could. 
Red-Bear and Black-Bear were the first chiefs of this village. They 
ruled their people as though they were slaves. 

One day Red-Bear gave notice that the whole village was to turn 
out on an elk hunt. The next day, the people compHed with the chief's 
orders. The people, as they went through the timber in the deep 
snow, slaughtered the elk in great numbers. Burnt-Hands with other 
little fellows followed the chase. He watched the hunters butchering 
their game. He wished he could kill and take home to his grand- 
mother the nice elk meat. He strode off in another direction, looking 
around as he went. As he went on he struck a fresh track with drops 
of fresh blood on clean snow, and there were no footprints of a hunter 
following. He took up the trail and followed it for a long distance. He 
found, to his great delight, a dead elk with two arrows through its 
chest. "Ah ho ! Ah ho ! The great chief knows I am poor. He has 

» Told by White-Bear. 



66 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

had mercy on me." While he was looking all over the animal he heard 
a voice. He looked up, and who was there but the two chiefs — Red- 
Bear and Black-Bear. 

Red-Bear gave an angry grunt and struck the boy in the face. 
"Who are you and how did you find this elk? I never expected to 
find such a worthless burnt-belly looking fellow as you." Pulling his 
arrows out of his quiver, he said, "My father will be glad to have you 
for his meal," and he shot two arrows through the boy. He dragged 
him out on the ice to a large air-hole and said, as he dropped him, 
"Father, I have done as you bid me." 

In this stream there lived a big White-Bear in a lodge. The young 
cub heard something drop outside the lodge. He told his father. The 
old one said, "Go out and see what it is." The cub saw poor Burnt- 
Hands in his ragged clothing and with wounds. The cub felt pretty 
bad for the boy and told his father about him. The father told the 
cub to bring the boy in. "What a poor boy you are !" said White- 
Bear. "I know who you are, and how you were treated. I never 
expected to eat a man from Red-Bear's tribe. I commanded him to feed 
me on an enemy. I will have great mercy on you. From now on you 
shall be my son. You shall treat Red-Bear just as he has treated you. 
I will enjoy his flesh. I will endow you with all the power I have. 
I will teach you all, and you shall go back and do as I say." White- 
Bear and Burnt-Hands then sat down and began the bear ceremony, 
Burnt-Hands learning everything and receiving his bundle of medicine 
and other things. He was then shown the way out by the cub. 

Burnt-Hands went on to his grandmother's little home. When 
he arrived there he called his grandmother to kindle the fire, as he 
had come. Before this, when the 'boys found out that Burnt-Hands' 
grandmother was worrying, they would come in, saying, "Grand- 
mother, I have come home," just to tease her. The old woman thought 
the boys were teasing her now when Burnt-Hands called. She gave 
a pitiful cry, saying, "You boys ought to feel satisfied with your teas- 
ing now." "Oh, no. Grandmother ! I am 'here ! I was lost on the 
chase. Following up an elk I strayed off to a place I knew nothing 
about. I could not find my way home, so I stayed all night." His 
grandmother arose. When she had kindled the fire there sat her boy. 
She rejoiced, for she was glad her boy was alive. 

Nobody in the whole village knew what had happened to Burnt- 
Hands except Black-Bear, who had witnessed what Red-Bear did. He 
did not like what Red-Bear had done, but he did not say anything. 

One day the scouts, on picket duty, saw a large herd of buffalo. 
The chiefs were notified. They gave notice that everybody should 



HOW BURNT-HANDS BECAME A CHIEF. 67 

turn out to the chase, and that Red-Bear wanted the hide of the white 
buffalo that was in the herd. Burnt-Hands heard the call. He told 
his grandmother to help him make arrows. He also promised her the 
white buffalo robe. This was a secret surprise to his grandmother, who 
did not know that he was anything more than a "burnt-belly." 

The next day every one turned out to go on the chase. Burnt- 
Hands started out on foot with his quiver. A kind young man on 
horseback caught up with him, and asked him to get on behind him. 
He did so. While they were riding, the young man told the boy about 
the white buffalo. The boy asked his friend if he would put the meat 
and his white hide on his horse for him. They made plans to be to- 
gether and help each other on the chase. The hunters had all col- 
lected on a hill, talking and smoking their pipes. The two arrived 
and sat around for a long while. Burnt-Hands began to inquire what 
they were waiting for. They answered they were waiting for the 
chiefs. "This will not do ; if we wait here there may come up a bad 
storm and we will go home empty handed. Come now, and let us 
have our chase. Those chiefs will come later, and they will get their 
share of the meat anyway. I want that wihite buffalo robe, and when 
you have taken it off give it to this young man and he will take it home 
for my grandmother." 

The men were all agreed to what Burnt-Hands said. They 
thought Red-Bear would kill him and not themselves. They got on 
their ponies and the chase began. The white buffalo was killed and 
the chase ended. Burnt-Hands was walking along when his friend 
came and gave him a ride to where they were butchering. He took 
him where the white buffalo was and the men were standing around 
looking at the animal. "What are you waiting for now?" said Burnt- 
Hands. "Get to butchering and give me the hide !" When they had 
begun, the chiefs came. They gave them a welcome and told Red- 
Bear that Burnt-Hands had advised them to start the chase and had 
already spoken for the hide. Red-Bear and Black-Bear said every- 
thing would be all right, and that the boy could have the hide and 
some meat. 

The hunters were all on their way home. Red-Bear ordered 
them to camp at a certain place. This they did. Burnt-Hands and his 
friend came to the camp and found the meat cooking, and a comfort- 
able place made for the chiefs. "What is this place for? and are you 
afraid to sit here?" said Burnt-Hands. "That place is for the chiefs," 
said they, "and that meat." "Come," said Burnt-Hands to his friend, 
"sit here with me and enjoy the meat with me." The young man, with 
the rest, thousfht that Red-Bear would surelv kill the bov this time. 



68 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

Burnt-Hands and his friend sat down on the robes and ate the meat 
prepared for Red- Rear. The chiefs came, and Red-Rear ordered 
another place and food prepared for him. He did not dare to say or 
do anything to the boy, suspecting his power as he did. Burnt-Hands' 
friend and the others thought that Red-Rear ihad mercy on the poor 
boy, since he did not hurt him. 

Burnt-Hands went home with his friend and pulled off the meat 
and the white buffalo hide. "Here, grandmother, is what I promised 
you, and a lot of meat. You now know that I can himt and bring 
home game." His grandmother was at once overjoyed. She thought 
about the pretty girl who always showed them charity. She sent out 
for Last-Child, who came in. "You have always been kind to us, and 
I have always been thankful. I want you to have this bide, and to 
have a robe made for yourself. You are young yet. and it will be- 
come you more than me." Burnt-Hands was talked about all over the 
village, but they did not know that he 'had been blessed by a Bear. 

A long time after this chase the chief gave out an order for every- 
body to go on an elk chase. Red-Bear had been accustomed to collect 
all the elk teeth. This was his object for the hunt. Burnt-Hands 
heard the order and began to make preparations for the hunt. He 
promised his grandmother an elk-tooth dress. Burnt-Hands told his 
grandmother that if any trouble arose on his account she must flee 
into the timber, and on through other timber, and there wait for bim. 
The next day the chase was to come off. The hunters had great luck 
and were talking happily in the woods. There was a cry here and 
there for Red-Bear to come aaid get his teeth. Burnt-Hands and his 
friend were together. He told his friend to take the teeth out for 
him, for he did not know how. His friend was a little afraid to do it, 
but Burnt-Hands said it would be all right. The men, too, rather 
hesitated to let him have the teeth. They told him that Red-Bear had 
spoken for all the teeth ; but he paid no heed to it, and told his friend 
to take them. Burnt-Hands had collected a lot of teeth, and so had 
Red-Bear. The hunters had chased the elk on to a smooth piece of 
ice and had killed several there. Here, Burnt-Hands and Red-Bear saw 
each other doing the same work. They met on the last elk, and Burnt- 
Hands spoke and said : "You have enough teeth. You will keep 
off and let me have these." Red-Bear gave an angry grunt, and said, 
"A child like you cannot have much to say." As Red-Bear leaned over 
to take the teeth Burnt-Hands took his war-club and struck him on the 
head. He took him by the feet and dragged him to the air-hole. 
"Father, this is what }Ou asked of me." A great yell was raised, and 
war was made on the boy. 



HOW BURNT-HANDS BECAME A CHIEF. 69 

T'he boy fled to the village and peeped in, to isee if his grand- 
mother had done what he had told her to do. She was gone, and he 
followed her and found her beyond the second timber as he had 
directed. "Now," said he, "take one of these bear claws off my wrist 
and open the little bag of paint." This she did. and he began to sing 
and perform the ceremony. He adorned his grandmother and himself 
according to the instruction of his Bear father. The people had all 
turned out to kill him for what he had done. Still others were calling 
it wrong to harm the boy, and reminded the people of what bad ruling 
Red-Bear had done. 

Burnt-Hands and his grandmother had turned into Bears, and 
were making a big noise, growling and grunting. Nearer and nearer 
the warriors circled around the timber, shouting and yelling. The 
bo}' told his grandmother to be first to attack. So she did so. She 
caught Red-Bear's brother and four or five others of his near rela- 
tives. "Now, I will attack," said Burnt-Hands, "for you must be 
tired." He picked out the leaders and the influential men of the vil- 
lage and scalped them and tore them up. The warriors began to re- 
treat. A cry was raised to end the fight, as many had been killed, but 
how to stop the boy and the old woman they did not know. They 
assembled and filled the peace-pipe. They gave it to Last-Child 
to take to the boy and the old woman. She took the pipe and came 
toward them, they growling wildly. The boy knew it was the girl. 
He told bis grandmother not to charge at her. The boy accepted the 
peace-pipe and both smoked it. This ended the fight. 

Burnt-Hands asked his grandmother how old she would like to be. 
She said, "About thirty-eight," and so she was. The boy made him- 
self about twenty-two, and when all was quiet he married Last-Child. 
Burnt-Hands came to be chief, and had Black-Bear as his slave. The 
people lived happily under his rule. 



18. HOW BURNT-HANDS BECAME A CHIEF.* 

Once there was an old woman and her grandson. They were 
very poor; they had nothing. The boy's name was Burnt-Hands. 
Some warriors got together in the village and planned to go on the 
war-path. Burnt-Hands heard of it. He told his grandmother that 
he wanted to join the warriors on the war-path. She told the boy that 
when he went he must never tell Coyote stories on the war-path. She 
gave him a round burnt clay ball that had a handle to it. She told 

*Told by Two-Hawks. 



70 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

Burnt-Hands to go; that the clay ball with the handle was his war- 
club ; that when on the way, when he should become hungry he should 
place it upon tihe fire, put kernels of corn upon it, and roast them. 

These warriors went out to a camp in the woods. The young 
man came up with them and lay down by them. The next day they 
went and in the afternoon they sat down to rest. They made fun of 
the boy, and said, "Now tell us some Coyote stories." But the boy 
refused, and said, "My grandmother told me not to tell Coyote stories 
while on the war-path." The coaxed the boy to sing, but he would 
not sing. 

The boy was hungry. As he saw that the men were not moving 
on he placed his clay ball upon the fire and put some kernels of corn 
upon it and began to roast them. While he was doing this he said, 
"I will tell some Coyote stories." The boy began to tell how the 
enemy came and attacked a certain war-party. At the same time he 
kept on roasting his corn. 

While he was telling these stories the enemy came, and when the 
men found out that they were surrounded they became scared. But 
the boy went on with his roasting of the corn. When he had finished 
roasting the corn he took a seat and ate his corn, and after he had 
eaten all, he went out and killed many of the enemy with the clay ball 
that he had roasted his corn upon, which was really a war-club. The 
enemy became scared at the boy and ran away. 

So the men found out that the boy was a wonderful boy ; and as 
he had killed many of the enemy, when they went home they made 
Burnt-Hands a big chief, gave him a good tipi and a wife. He moved 
his grandmother into the new tipi, and there he lived ever after. 



19. HOW BURNT-HANDS BECAME A CHIEF.* 

One winter the people went a long distance to hunt. With them 
was an old woman and her grandson, named Burnt-Hands, who were 
very poor. One day the people made their village along a stream of 
water, where the scouts reported seeing many bufifalo. The young 
man told his grandmother to make a bow and arrows ; that he was 
going with the men to kill bufTalo ; and that he was going to bring 
back some tongues and hearts. The old woman cried, because she 
knew tliat the boy was poor, and that he could not get any tongues and 
hearts. 

Told by Autelope. 



HOW BURNT-HANDS BECAME A CHIEF. 7 1 

The boy started, and when he came up with the hunters some of 
the people said jeeringly, "Well, Poor-Boy is going to kill the first 
buffalo." When the hunters stopped it was customary for one of the 
young men to stand somewhat in front of the rest and make motions 
for the men to divide up into companies and to go in certain di- 
rections, so that they could attack the buffalo on all sides. The boy 
began to sing about being the one selected to do that. This was an- 
nounced to the leaders, and they selected him. 

The people divided up into companies and circled around where 
the buffalo were. The command to attack was given and the boy 
went right among the buffalo, and there he began to kill. After he 
was through killing, he turned back and pulled out the buffalo beards, 
and also pulled out a bunch of hair from the side of the shoulder. This 
he kept. When he went on to find his robe, he found that somebody 
had taken it. The young man then began to sing about his robe. He 
wanted some one to return it to him, but they would not return it to 
him, but made fun of him. Then the boy began to sing about the 
snowstorm coming. The boy ran into the village where his grand- 
mother lived. He took the hairs that he had taken off from the robe 
and threw them upon the ground, and there in that place appeared sev- 
eral tongues and hearts. The old woman was very glad that the boy 
had brought these things. She boiled them, and they ate until they 
were filled. The cold weather turned into a bhzzard, and killed many 
men who had made fun of the young man, while others came home and 
said that the young man had done some things that were wonderful. 

After the cold weather was over, the village broke up and moved 
on. Again scouts came and reported that there were buffalo. After 
this killing the people ceased to make fun of the boy. They called him 
again to stand in front of the procession and to wave his hand to di- 
vide the men into the different companies. They all attacked the buffalo, 
but the boy was the first to kill, although he was not on a horse. He 
again simulated the taking of the tongues and hearts by simply pulling 
out the beard and the hair from the sides of the buffalo. When the 
boy had taken the hairs and thrown them down in the lodge there at 
once appeared many tongues and hearts. 

People found out that the boy was wonderful, and they finally 
gave him a pony on which to carry his meat home, and the chief's 
daughter visited the young man, and finally Poor-Boy married the 
chief's daughter. Poor-Boy became a great warrior, and at last be- 
came a chief. 



72 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

20. THE TWO BOYS AND THE WATER-SERPENT.* 

Two boys once wandered about the village and they were wel- 
comed to any lodge they entered. One morning they came into one 
lodge and the people were glad to have them come in, but they claimed 
that the boys must be the ones who ate up their pot of corn. The boys 
did not know anything about the pot of corn. They left the lodge and 
went into another and there they were accused of the same thing. 
The boys went to another lodge, but were again accused. They were 
indignant at the accusations that were made against them. They 
wandered off from the village and returned when the sun set. 

Now the two boys said one to the other, "Let us be on our guard 
to-night and perhaps we may discover who eats the corn." In those 
times an inclosure surrounded the village, and the two boys sat by the 
inclosure. They sat there until all the people of the village went to 
sleep, for they agreed to stay till morning. After all the people had 
gone to sleep the boys heard much roaring by the river; so they 
listened. After the noise of the waters ceased, they saw a big black 
thing going over their heads. It climbed over the inclosure and went 
on top of a lodge. It was a long serpent. The serpent stuck its head 
into the smoke hole of the lodge. In a few moments he went to another 
lodge and did the same thing. Then he went to still another. Now the 
serpent went back to the river and the boys were glad to find out 
who ate up the people's corn, beans, and squash that had been prepared 
in the evening for the next morning. 

When morning came the boys went down to the timber and cut 
many sticks to make arrows with. They sat down and made arrows 
till evening; but they never mentioned what had happened. Again 
the boys stayed out, and after all the people had gone to sleep the 
same thing happened as on the preceding night. Again they saw the 
serpent climbing over the inclosure and onto the lodges. Then the 
boys shot at the serpent while it had its head inside a lodge, reaching 
for food. The boys threw their arrows at the water-monster as fast 
as they could. They threw so many arrows at the monster that he was 
almost dead. The serpent came out from the lodge and went down 
to the river. The waters roared and rose, because the water-monster 
was dying, but when it was dead the waters were silent. When 
the waters went down the big serpent was found dead on a small 
peninsula. 



♦Told by Antelope. 



THE BOY WHO BEFRIENDED THE THUNDERBIRDS. 73 

21. THE BOY WHO BEFRIENDED THE THUNDERBIRDS, AND 
THE SERPENT.* 

Among the Ankara lived a young man who was gifted with 
powers from the gods in the Heavens — the four-world-quarter gods 
who give all power. The boy's parents were very poor, so that he 
would go about and kill so many antelope that people called him "An- 
telope-Carrier." When he went hunting he killed many deer. It made 
no difference how far away the animal was, he killed whatever animal 
he shot at. People wondered where the boy got his power. The boy 
got his power from the timber. The Wood-Rats had taken the boy 
and had given him bow and arrows. The arrows were made of dog- 
wood. The feathered parts were wood-rat hide. The boy had for his 
bow, thick hickory wood. One of the arrows was black, another red, 
another yellow, and another white. The yellow and the white arrows 
had flint points, and the boy used them for killing game. 

Antelope-Carrier wandered from home and was lost to the people. 
His friends mourned for him as lost. The boy wandered west, until 
he came to a lake, — a very large lake. Now the boy thought to himself 
that he would stay at this place for several days. He killed game, 
made a big fire, ate meat and slept by the lake, where there were many 
brushes and reeds. One day Antelope-Carrier killed some birds and 
roasted them. After eating the birds he lay down and slept. While 
he slept, two Thunderbirds came and carried him high up and placed 
him upon a high mountain. When the boy woke up he found him- 
self in a strange place. The mound was high and had steep sides, 
so that he could not get down. When he found that there was no 
place to get down he cried. He walked around and found a nest. It 
contained four young Thunderbirds. The nest was built of sticks 
and covered with soft, downy feathers. He walked to another place 
and he found a hollow in the stone and this was full of clear water. He 
did not drink, but went on crying. After a while he became tired and 
sat down. He heard above him a noise which sounded like strong 
wind. He looked up and saiw the mother Thunderbird. She Hghted 
close to the boy and the bird spoke and said : "My son, do not cry. 
I brought you to this place. I watch over you as you go hunting. 
I see you kill game. You are wonderful. I brought you up here. I 
want you to help me save your young brothers over there" (pointing 
to the nest). "Nesaru placed me and my mate upon this high place. 

♦Told by Antelope. 



74 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

I have been here a long time, and every time I place my young upon 
this place a strange animal that lives in yonder lake comes up and eats 
my young. I have not raised my young, so I have asked you to help 
me ; and if you save my children I will give you great power. The 
animal that devours my young is a water-serpent. It has two long 
heads. It has a very thick covering of flint stones. When I throw my 
lightning upon it, it does it no harm. I throw the lightning in its mouth 
and it does not die, for the covering extends beyond its head, so that I 
do not hurt it. Now, my son, do not cry, but stay here and help me 
kill this monster, and you shall have lightning in your eyes and your 
mouth and limbs, and you shall have control of all the birds in the 
whole world." 

The boy wiped away his tears and said : "I will die with my 
brothers. I will stay here and help you." The Thunderbird flew away, 
for she was happy. The boy went to the east slope of the mound, which 
he found very steep, but covered with timber. He clambered down 
from the crest of the mound and w^ent into the timber, and there he 
found many birds. This was the home of all birds. He found a deer 
and killed it. He cut it up and carried the meat to the top of the 
mound. He carried some wood to the top also, and made a fire with 
flint stone. He saw the young birds with their mouths open. He took 
some meat to them and fed them. The parents of the little birds came 
and saw that the boy was taking care of them and were glad. The male 
bird spoke to the boy, and said: "We are all glad to have you here. 
Our young are very young, but as soon as they begin to turn black 
then it is time for the serpent to come out from the lake and climb this 
hill, to kill and eat my birds. We will go far away, where we will get 
more power, for it is nearly time for the serpent to come up. When 
the serpent comes up we will be here in time to try to kill it. We are 
gone." 

The Thunderbirds flew away and for many days the boy did not 
see them. He was told that when the serpent was ready to come out 
from the lake he would see a fog rising from the lake, and by that 
would know that the serpent was coming. 

One fine morning when the boy was sitting down, with his bow and 
arrows lying in front of him, looking at the sun as it came up in the 
east, something seemed to move his head towards the lake. He saw a 
small roll of fog coming up from the middle of the lake and the fog 
seemed to spread as it went up. After a while the fog seemed to cover 
the hills around, and to reach up into the heavens. The boy saw some- 



THE BOY WHO BEFRIENDED THE THUNDERBIRDS. 75 

thing crawling out from the lake. Something came out from another 
place. These were the two heads of the monster. Gradually it came 
crawling up the hill. A storm came from the west. The boy saw the 
rain storm, but no bird. He knew that the storm was brought by the 
powers of the Thunderbirds. The storm went by the boy. No rain 
was there where he was. It lightened and thundered under the boy. 
Presently he saw the two Thunderbirds spreading out their wings, mak- 
ing lightning, and every time the lightning struck the serpent the boy 
could see a flash of lightning in every direction, but it did not kill the 
monster. At last the monster came upon the rock where the nest was. 
The birds flew about, the mother squealed, and as the monster opened 
its mouth the Thunderbird sent its lightning into the mouth of the 
monster. The monster was thrown back, but again it crawled up, and 
the female Thunderbird said: "It is all over. We cannot do any 
more. We have failed, so we will fly up, and you, my son, will have 
to die with my children." 

The boy now picked up his bow and arrows. He took the black 
arrow. This he placed upon the bow-string ready to shoot into the 
mouth of the monster as soon as it should crawl upon the rock. As the 
monster came up and opened its mouth to swallow the boy he pulled 
his bow-string and shot into the mouth of the monster. A noise like 
that of a falling tree was made. The monster fell over and burst open, 
for the arrow was really a sycamore tree with sharp limbs. The birds 
flew downward and were glad. Now the other head of the monster 
came up from another side of the hill. The boy again ran, and as it 
opened its mouth the boy shot the red arrow into its mouth and another 
sound was heard. The arrow lifted off the head of the monster and 
the head fell again upon the rock, breaking it into pieces. 

The Thunderbirds now came and flew around the boy, screaming 
with joy. The two birds flew away to where all kinds of birds dwell. 
The birds all flew up where the boy and the nest were, and the mother 
Thunderbird said : "My son, to-day you are chief of all birds. You 
shall have power as I have. Lightning shall be in your breath and eyes. 
I give you a stick that shall have lightning, so that you can kill anything 
you strike. These birds shall follow you wherever you go. They will 
bring you news of bad animals. They will give you their power. Let 
us now go down where the serpent is." The boy and the birds all 
went down to where the serpent was. It was broken in two. The birds 
all took hold of one side and turned the serpent over. When the ser- 
pent fell, the flint rock upon it had fallen off and scattered. The 



76 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

boy cut the serpent open and the birds feasted upon the serpent. As 
each bird was filled it spoke to the boy and gave him power. The 
power given to the boy was in the nature of objects, and he swallowed 
them. 

The lake grew smooth after the serpent was taken out. The boy 
was now chief of all birds, and wherever he went the birds followed 
him. Wherever there was a bad animal the birds told the boy and the 
boy went and killed the animal. The boy made it his aim to kill all 
bad animals. He never went to his people, but roamed over the land 
as chief of all birds, but still kept the name "Antelope-Carrier." 

While this young man was roaming about, two young boys from 
the village went to shoot birds. They were joined together with raw- 
hide. When they had gone far away from the village they came to a 
bottom land. Here they found an object that looked like a mushroom. 
It was white. It was moving up and down. One of the boys said, "Let 
me sflioot at this thing." The other boy said, "No, it is wonderful." 
But the first boy shot at the dbject and as soon as the arrow hit the 
object a strong wind came up and took both boys up, carrying them 
far away, and they were left on an island out in the great waters near 
where the sun comes up. 

When the boys were landed they cried. All this time they were 
still joined by the rawhide string. The boy who shot began to make 
fun of the other, because he cried the most. So the boy who cried the 
most tried to shoot the other with his bow and arrow, claiming that it 
was through him that they were now far away from home. The other 
boy said, "No, do not kill me, for we will go back home. We will first 
go to the setting of the sun, for that is where our home is. If we do 
not reach home then we must go east, where the sun rises." So they 
went west. As they neared the big water they saw a patch of corn and 
squash. They went on and saw an earth-lodge. They stood outside, 
and after a while an old woman came out and called them "grandsons" 
and asked them to enter her lodge. 

They went in and she fed them. They stayed with the old woman 
one moon. Then the old woman said: "My grandchildren, you are 
far away from home. You were brought here by a strong wind, be- 
cause one of you shot it with your arrow. I will help you so that you 
can go back to your people. I will pound much corn and I will make 
dried mush for you. I will make five large cakes. You must do as I 
tell you. It takes four days to cross the big water. Four of these cakes 
will be for your grandfather, who will take you across; one cake will 
be for you boys." She made the cakes and gave them to the boys, and 



THE BOY WHO BEFRIENDED THE THUNDERBIRDS. 77 

said : "Go to the bank, and both of you must say, 'Grandfather, my 
grandmother says that you are to take us across.' A large serpent will 
come first, and you must say to it, 'My grandmother says you are not 
the one.' It will go away. Then call for another one. The second one 
will come. Send it away. The third one will come. Send it away. 
The fourth one will come. It is your grandfather, for he carries land 
upon his head, with trees growing upon it. Get on the serpent's head 
and give the serpent one cake. Your grandfather has lice. Take one 
off of his head and give it to your grandfather ; he likes to eat them." 
These lice were soft-shell turtles. 

The fourth serpent came, and the boys got upon it with their cakes 
of mush. The boys took one cake and told their grandfather to open 
his mouth. When he opened it the boys put one of the cakes into it. 
Tiheir grandmother came and told the boys to get the big serpent a 
louse and to throw it into its mouth. This the boys did. The boys' 
grandmother told them not to jump when the serpent was within three 
or four feet of the bank, but to stay on it until it was up to the bank. 
One of the boys now said to his grandfather : "Grandmother says that 
you are to start for the other side of this big water." So the serpent 
started and went all day. At noon of the next day the serpent stopped, 
and said, "I want something to eat." So the boys gave it another cake, 
and also one soft-sihell turtle. Then the serpent started again. The 
next day the serpent stopped and the boys gave it another cake and 
turtle. The serpent started again, and the third day it stopped and the 
boys fed it with another cake and turtle. The fourth day, the boys saw 
land. The wild boy jumped before the serpent came to the bank, and 
was swallowed by the serpent. The other boy waited until it landed, 
then got off, and said, "Grandfather, grandmother said you were to stop 
here and rest." When the boys had got on the serpent they untied 
themselves, and this is why only one of them was swallowed. 

Now the boy on dry land said : "Grandfather, I am about to leave 
you. Grandmother said that I was to feed you with your own lice" 
(turtles). The boy took turtles from the monster and gave them to 
him. "O, grandfather, open your mouth. I must see your teeth. 
Grandmother said I could see your teeth." So the serpent opened its 
mouth, and there the other boy was, sitting inside the serpent. The 
boy asked the serpent to open its mouth wide, so he could see how long 
his teeth were. He then reached in the serpent's mouth and dragged 
out the other boy. 

The two boys thanked the serpent and went west, hunting their 
home. They traveled many days, until at last they came to the Mis- 



yS TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

souri River bottom. This river they followed up until they came to 
some lakes close to the river. Here they wandered until they came to 
drift wood, and there was a good large sized log among the drift. 
Here they made a big fire. The large log was among the burning. The 
boys noticed drops of grease falling from the log. The wild boy noticed 
and reached up to the log and he found that the log was a serpent. 
The foolish boy then took his knife out and cut a chunk of meat and 
ate it. He tried to get the other boy to eat some of the meat, but the 
boy would not eat it. 

The boys now went on, and in the night lay down. The next morn- 
ing the boy who ate the serpent woke and saw that his feet had turned 
red, blue, and white. The wild boy was glad to see the colors upon his 
feet. The next night, the boy's legs became colored. Another night 
passed, and the boy's body was colored. The next morning the boy's 
legs were joined together and were like a serpent. The other boy talked 
to the part-serpent boy, and said, "I will stay with you." The serpent 
boy then said: "My brother, carry me to the Wonderful (Missouri) 
River and put me in the water. I am now wonderful. You must come 
down to the river, so that I can speak to you, and I will give you 
powers." The fourth morning the boy was a Serpent. The other boy 
packed the Serpent boy to the river and turned him loose in the river. 

The lx>y went home. Antelope-Carrier was informed of the Ser- 
pent and learned that it was wonderful. Antelope-Carrier came and 
told all the 1)irds to hunt up and down the river, so that they might find 
the Serpent. The Serpent knew that Antelope-Carrier was coming, 
and became scared. The Serpent had his brother dig a hole in the sand 
for it. He went into the hole and was all hidden but the head, which 
was covered with willows. Antelope-Carrier with all his birds hunted 
the Serpent. At last he saw the place where he thought the Serpent 
was. While examining the place the Serpent used its power and carried 
Antelope-Carrier into the water and into its den. There Antelope- 
Carrier was put into the sweat-lodge and was made to vomit up all his 
powers which he possessed except the lightning in his eyes. "Now," 
said the Serpent, "your powers are all gone. You are no longer won- 
derful. Go now to our people and live with them." Antelope-Carrier 
went home. He had to wear something over his eyes all that time, for 
they were like lightning. He lived with the people, but never showed 
to them any powers that he had possessed. The Serpent remained in 
the river and would sometimes swim around in the waters. It gave its 
powers to the people and gave them songs and the Medicine-men's 
ceremonv. 



THE BOY WHO TURNED INTO A SNAKE. 79 

22. THE BOY WHO TURNED INTO A SNAKE.* 

A long' time ago there was a young man in the village who was 
an idiot. All the boys plagued him except one whose father was a 
chief and who took a liking for the boy. This chief's son used to 
take the boy to his lodge and feed him. One day the poor boy said 
to his friend : "Let us go on the war-path. Let us go alone, for we 
can do as well as the warriors." They started out and went south, 
crossing the Missouri River. After they had crossed the river they 
went west. For several days they continued their journey, but as 
they did not have much to eat they became exhausted and turned 
back. 

When they were going over the prairie they saw something in the 
distance that looked like a log. They came to it and saw that it was 
a water-serpent. This water-serpent seemed to have no end. The 
boys walked one way, then another, until they finally gave up trying 
to find the end, and there was no way to go around it. The foolish 
boy said : "I know what I will do. I will make a big fire upon the 
serpent, so that it will burn up and we can cross over." This they 
did. They gathered many dry limbs and placed them upon the ser- 
pent, then set it on fire. The serpent burned in two. Before crossing 
over, the idiot said, "My brother, that meat looks very nice, let us eat 
it." "No," said the other boy, "we must not eat it; the serpent is 
wonderful." But the idiot was hungry and took some meat from the 
serpent and ate. He tried to get the other boy to do the same, but 
the boy would not eat of it, although he was very hungry. After 
the idiot had enough of the meat he went across the serpent. The 
other boy followed. 

The boys now traveled down the Missouri River until night 
overtook them, when they lay down. The next morning the boys 
v.'oke up. The idiot looked at his feet and he saw that his feet were 
colored with red and blue stripes. "Look," said the idiot, "I have 
colored feet. I will not have to paint my feet when we dance at home. 
People will like it." But the other boy did not say anything, for 
he knew there was something wrong. They went on until they 
reached another stream of water, where they lay down again and 
slept. This time, when they woke, the idiot looked at his legs and 
he found his legs also were colored. He was pleased, for he thought 
that he would not have to paint when dancing. The next night they 
lay down, and when they arose in the morning the idiot's body also 
was colored. They kept on journeying. The fourth morning the 

*Told by Yellow-Bear, 



8o TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

boy found his leg^s had grown togetlier and had turned into the tail of 
a snake. The other young man promised to take care of him as 
long as he could. He carried the boy upon his back to the nearest 
lake. Tihe idiot now turned into a Snake. 

The next morning, the Snake told the boy to place him in the 
lake; that if the fishes were satisfied to let him remain with them he 
would let the boy know. The boy put the Snake into the lake. The 
Snake swam about the lake and there was a great commotion in the 
water. The fishes in the lake did not seem to like this Snake which 
had come among them. The Snake came out again, and the boy 
took it and put it upon his back and carried it to another lake. There 
was a great noise again in the Jake. The Snake came out again, 
and said: "Carry me to the Missouri River and put me in. 
That is where I am to stay." So the boy took the Snake down to 
the Missouri River and put it into the river. The Snake swam 
around in the river and came out and said : "My brother, I am to 
rest in the middle of the Missouri River. Whenever the people cross 
the Missouri River they must say, 'My brother, let me step over you.' 
They will then always cross over the river without any danger of 
drowning. If they do not say anything, there will be danger of 
their getting drowned. Let them also give me presents, throwing 
ihem into the river. Now go home and tell my friends to bring me 
some presents of pounded corn and dried buffalo meat." 

The boy went home and told his friends what had happened. 
The people brought blankets, tobacco, pounded corn, and dried meat. 
The boy and some other people went to the river and there they gave 
presents. The Snake boy received the presents, showing himself, so 
the people knew that the idiot had turned to a Snake. Every time 
the men went on the war-path they said: "My brother, we want to 
step over ^■ou. We are upon the war-path. See that none of our 
voung men get lost in the river." To-day these people say to this 
river: "Brother, I am about to cross over you. See that I do not 
drown." Presents used to be given to the Snake boy by warriors 
when upon the War-path. 

23. THE BOY WHO RECEIVED THE MOUSE POWER.* 

A long time ago. when the Arikara were in a village on the ]^Iis- 
sonri River, the chiefs notified the people that they were going hunt- 
ing, and tliat they were all to get ready to go. So all the people went 

♦Told by Snowbird. 



THE BOY WHO RECEIVED THE MOUSE POWER. OI 

to their caches and placed there all the things that they did not care 
to carry with them on the journey. Then they packed their ponies 
and moved on towards the west. 

One of the young men stayed behind and went from one lodge 
to snother and finally stayed over night in the village. The next day 
he went through the village again, and he heard a woman crying. 
He went to the place where the crying came from. He looked into 
the lodge, and there was a woman sitting down crying. This woman 
had a buffalo robe wrapped around her and her hair was hanging 
loosely over her shoulders. The young man went in to see who it 
was. He wanted to know what she was crying about. She said : 
"I know that you are here, and I cried to bring you here. I have 
been crying for some time, for when the people left this lodge they 
took my children with them. I would like very much for you to go 
after my children. If you will bring my children back, I shall call 
my people together and they will give you some kind of power that 
will make you a great warrior." The young man wanted to know 
where her people were. The woman said her children were in the 
sacred buffalo ro]ye; that all (he had to do to get the robe was to go 
to a man who had the robe and ask him to let him see the robe, and 
upon opening the robe he would see a nest in the robe, and there her 
children would be. 

It was customary among the Arikara to untie the robe when any- 
body asked that he might see it, so the young man knew that he would 
have no trouble in finding the children, and he promised the woman 
that he would have her children back as soon as he could. The young 
man ran in the direction where the people had gone, and on the 
second night he came to the camp which they had made. The young 
man went to his mother's tipi and told her to give him a little meat ; 
that he was in a hurry ; that he could not stop ; that he had to go back 
to the village. The mother gave the young man some meat. He 
ate and then he went to the tipi of the white buffalo robe. The young 
man begged the keeper of the white buffalo robe to let him see it. 
The keeper of the robe took it down and untied it. While the man 
was untying it the young man was watching for the nest. When he 
saw the nest the young man began to cry, as if praying to the white 
Buffalo, but he put his hands upon the robe, and upon the nest, so 
that the man would not take any notice of it. The young man stopped 
crying, took the nest with the young ones, put them in his blanket and 
left the tipi. 



82 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

The next day, the young man arrived at the village where the 
woman was. She was still sitting where he had left her. The young 
man gave the nest over to her. The woman was thankful, and said : 
"Now you have returned my children. Go now and return in the 
night." So the young man left the lodge. 

The woman took her nest and went to the edge of the lodge 
and placed it there. She then turned into a Mouse and nursed her 
>oung ones. She went to the different holes of the Mice and Rats, 
telling them of what the young man had done for her, and asked 
that they give him power. The largest Rat in the village consented 
to give the young man power. He told the woman that he would 
have the Rats and Mice come into the lodge in the niglit, and that 
:he young man should be there, for they would talk to him. The 
woman thanked the Rat for what he 'had said. 

In the night the young man went into the lodge, and the woman 
was there. She told the young man that the priest was to be there 
that night and that he was to be the one to give him power. So 
the young man stayed. The woman told him to make a fire, so that 
he could see what was done. The young man made a fire, and as 
he took his seat he heard the Rats running around in the lodge. 
Finally they came, one by one, in the form of human beings, and 
took their seats around the fireplace. The man who acted as priest 
stopped, and said : "My son. you have done a kind act to one of my 
people by bringing her children back. She wants to help you, and I 
have consented to do this. I am to give you a war-club, and I am to 
give you power, so that you can turn yourself into a mouse any time 
that you want to, and when you attack the enemy and when they try 
to kill you, you shall disappear, so that you will not be afraid of any- 
body." The young man was given all these powers. At last the 
priest arose and called the young man up to him. He took hold of 
liim by the shoulders and drew 'him to himself. Then the Rat-Man 
blew his breath upon the sides of the man's cheeks, and there were 
formed pictures of Mice. The war-club was given to him, and he was 
told that he was now powerful and that he could go home. The 
young man took the club and a little box of medicine they had given 
to him, and started to go out. When he heard noises in the lodge he 
turned around, but the people had all disappeared. The woman was 
standing outside the lodge, and she told the young man that he was 
now her son, and that he should tell his mother that when they re- 
turned home to their lodge, if they should see any mice they should 
not kill them, for they were the young man's relatives. The young 



THE BOY AND THE YOUNG HAWKS. 83 

man started for the camp. He traveled for many days, and at last 
he reached the camp. He went into the tipi and lay down, and the 
next morning- the people found out that he had come. 

This man became a great warrior. He led many parties out to 
capture ponies, and when he went into the enemy's camp he turned 
himself into a Mouse, and when he got to the ponies he would cut 
the ropes, then drive the ponies out of the camp, and if he was found 
out he again turned into a Mouse, so that the enemy could not find 
him. In battles, he was a brave man. He killed many enemies with 
the club that had been given him. He became so bold that he had his 
own way about everything in the camp. He had some troubles with 
some of the men, and killed them. The people grew afraid of him and 
always let him have his own way. At last he found his equal in 
another young man, who seemed to have the power of a Bear, and 
he it was who attacked the Mouse-Man. These two fought until both 
of them fell down dead, one killed by the other. 



24. THE BOY AND THE YOUNG HAWKS * 

Outside the village there wandered a small boy with his bow 
and arrows, shooting at small birds and gophers. Day by day he 
went out looking for game. Once he discovered a hawk's nest with 
four eggs in it. He went out there every day, fearing that some one 
might take the eggs away. Finally the eggs hatched and the boy 
was much pleased to see the young hawks. He brought insects to 
the young ones for them to eat. He did this every day, and the birds 
grew and finally began to try to fly. He wanted to take them home, 
but he thought he would wait two or three days longer. 

When he went out to bring the birds home he saw a man in front 
of him ; so he ran, for fear the man would take his nest. But the man 
reached to the nest first and the boy cried : "Those are my birds. 
Do not touch them, for they are mine." The man answered and told 
the boy to come in a hurry, and the boy came. When the boy saw 
the man he was frightened, for the man was a stranger. The man 
said : "You have pleased me by taking such good care of my sons, 
and these birds are your brothers," Furthermore, the man told the 
boy that he had won much favor and that he would be rewarded, but 
be told the boy to leave the nest. The boy took some feathers from 
the young hawks to put on his arrows. He then went home, half 
believing that he was rewarded. 



•Told by Strike-Enemy. 



84 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

The boy came to be a good hunter. In the meanwhile he went out 
on the war-path with some others. When they discovered the enemy, 
he it was who fought where the arrows were thickest. Thus he be- 
came known as a brave. 

Some years afterwards he was known far and wide, and even 
Lis own people were afraid of him. But finally he turned around and 
did that which was wrong among his people. Anyone who made 
any attempt to kill the young man would forget it just as he was ready 
to. Many a man tried to kill him, but always forgot. He was 
called "Make-to-Forget." But one man was capable of killing him, 
and he did so, l^ecause he aroused the people so mudi by doing wrong 
deeds. 



25. THE END OF THE ELK POWER.* 

There were once four strong young brothers. Only the oldest one 
was married. He had a wife and child. One day the men went to 
their traps to lie in wait for eagles. The woman stayed at home, where 
she was busy preparing a hide for clothing. Toward evening the 
young men returned home, one by one. 

The wife of the eldest brother was missing. They looked all around. 
There was no sign of the woman. The baby was found on the ground, 
crying, and the tools which the woman had used were there, but the 
woman was gone. The men believed that the woman had been taken 
away captive, and they grieved for her as lost. The baby was hungry 
and cried so piteously that it brought tears to his father's and 
uncles' eyes. The father tried to comfort him by feeding him deer 
brain broth, which would quiet him for only a little time. The oldest 
of the unmarried brothers was so filled with pity for the young one 
that he cried from eve till morn, trusting that the chief would hearken 
to his cry and help him and his brothers. He went out to cry near 
a strip of timber where he had seen an old dry skull of a buck elk. 
For two nights the young man cried near the skull. On the second 
night the Klk heard his cry and before sunrise the young man heard 
a voice saying: "I am well pleased with your earnest manner of 
pleading for your loss. I will help you. First, I will say that your 
brother's wife is alive, but captured by a Bear who has already cap- 
lured three other women. You may think that the Bear is mightier 
than 1, but that is a mistake, as you will see. Go home with the as- 

*Tokl by White-Bear. 



THE END OF THE ELK POWER. 85 

surance that I have given you all power that the chief gave me. Tell 
your brothers to go home at once, and in a day or two come by your- 
self and I will give you all instructions." 

The brother started home. By the time of his arrival at the 
village the news of the woman's disappearance had spread. It caused 
great sadness and wailing. Pretty- Voice (this was the name of the 
eldest unmarried brother) stayed one night, then started to where 
the Elk had spoken to him. All night Pretty-Voice traveled, and by 
daylight he reached the place. "I am glad that you have come, and I 
am prepared to carry out my promise," said the Elk. Sitting down, 
Pretty- Voice learned the ceremony of the Elks. "Go at once," said 
the Elk. "Carry out my instructions in full. When the sun has 
risen full blow your whistle. No matter where the females are, 
they will be attracted and come to you. At the end of this strip of 
timber you will see the rough bluff, and at about the middle you 
will see a little scattering brush. There is the home of the Bear, and 
there you will find the woman." Pretty- Voice went to the end of the 
timber as he had been directed. As instructed, he whistled, one — two 
— three times. The women in the Bear's den heard the whistle and 
all rushed outside to listen. At the fourth whistle they could not re- 
strain themselves. They rushed toward the sound. They saw a 
handsome ^young man standing with his robe wrong side out. Two 
mid-tail eagle feathers were on his head and a long whistle was in 
his hand. 

Pretty-Voice was surprised to see his brother's wife and three 
young women vvho had been missed for a long time. Pretty- Voice 
said, "Nawa, we will lose no time, but prepare yourselves to run. 
Understand we are bound for home." They started at a fast pace. 
When they had gone many miles one turned her head and yelled, 
"He is coming!" and they began to cry. When the Bear came up too 
close Pretty- Voice ordered the party to stop. The Bear stopped and 
sat up on his hind legs, heaving heavily. The Bear was first to speak. 
He said, "Young man, you will live if you let me have my women." 
"No, I have captured these women and I claim them. I vvrill not let 
them go to you. I will defend these women if you are intending to 
fight," said Pretty-Voice. "Very well," said the Bear, "you will 
begin the fight if you have any faith in yourself." "That I have," 
said Pretty- Voice. Throwing off his robe and other things he made 
his attack with his bow and arrow. The Bear sat up, not minding 
the arrows. Pretty- Voice had shot all his arrows and the Bear was 
still looking at him. "Now," said the Bear, "I gave you a chance to 



86 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

live, but you gave no heed to my warning. Now you will die." Pretty- 
Voice threw himself on the ground and sprang on his feet in the form 
of a full grown Elk, with antlers like branches of a cottonwood tree. 
The Bear made a rush and the Elk threw his head down and struck 
the Bear, picking him up from the earth. The Bear's claws lacked 
a little of hitting the Elk's head. The women stopped wailing when 
they saw that Pretty- Voice was their savior. *'My friend," said the 
Bear, "you are true to your faith, and I will admit that you have 
overcome me and I will say that the women are yours and I beg 
to be free ; but I know that I am going to die." Pretty-Voice pulled 
up his head with a quick jerk and set the Bear free. After throwing 
himself on the ground as before, he sprang up a man. He picked up 
his clothing and started on. 

When he arrived at the village the news of his capture of the 
women spread. There was great rejoicing and the young women were 
taken to their homes. Pretty-Voice won great honor. He lived among 
his people, being received in their homes with great respect. He was 
not yet a warrior, but knew he would have no difficulty in getting a 
wife. 

As he had received all the powers of an Elk, he thought he would 
use them. One night he painted himself according to the instructions 
the Elk had given him. Ille, dum summo tumulo terreno stat, pulchram 
puellam vidit quam habere volebat. Itaque tibia magica canebat, et 
brevi tempore puellam habebat. Hoc faciebat dum puellas pulcherrimas 
omnes, quae eum vicum incolebant, habuisset. Deinde matrones illicere 
incepit. This caused bad feeling among the majority of the men, but 
a few paid no attention to his doings, thinking that nothing could be 
done to stop him. The Indians held a large council, and in this council 
they, including his three brothers, planned and agreed to make an at- 
tack and kill him. One day he prepared to practice his power. He 
stood on an earth-lodge. The people began to flock into the lodge he 
was standing on, with their robes around them to hide their weapons. 
Pretty- Voice knew what was coming and gave no heed to them, trust- 
ing in his power. All at once the men rushed out and began to shoot 
at him. A few who favored Pretty-Voice called out that they were 
foolish, as Pretty- Voice had caused no one bodily pain. The shooting 
went on and on, but Pretty-\^oice stood still. Once in a while he shook 
his robe and threw off the bullets and arrows. At last the men gave 
up, seeing that nothing could harm the young man. 

One day the village was attacked by a large part} of Sioux. The 
inhabitants were being defeated on every side. Pretty-\'oice was tardy 



THE END OF THE ELK POWER. 87 

in coming to the fight, and the men made remarks about his not making 
use of his power to fight. He came in his own time, went into the 
enemy's field, with nothing to defend himself with but his whistle. 
The Sioux saw that no arrow or bullet could harm him, and knew that 
he was powerful. They began to retreat. They were thrown back, 
scalped and stripped of their weapons and ponies. They attempted a 
second attack, but were again thrown back. When they had been driven 
back the second time they knew that nothing could be done to destroy 
the people while Pretty-Voice was living, for ihe had made 'himself 
famous. They gave up trying to fight, but came there on a friendly 
visit. 

During their visit, Pretty-Voice saw a pretty Sioux girl whom 
he thought he would take for bis wife. So he went through his cere- 
mony and secured the girl. He kept her for his wife. When they had 
lived together for a long time, loving each other in their lodge, the girl 
began to question Pretty- Voice about his great power. She said she 
wanted to know how he could destroy, and she said that if she could 
be trusted to perform some duty for him she would be glad to do so. 
Pretty- Voice told all that had happened to him, and said that he could 
be killed by scraping ofif a little elk horn and elk hair and making a 
little incense for arrows and bullets. "When this is done," he said, 
"the bullets will go through me." The Sioux girl began to get ready 
to desert her husband and to stir up her people to make another attack 
and kill Pretty- Voice. When Pretty-Voice had gone off somewhere 
she started out toward her country. 

On her arrival she told her story and stirred up her people to 
make war and kill Pretty-Voice, saying that she knew his secret. She 
collected the necessary things and started out at the head of a war- 
party. The people of Pretty-Voice were moving for their future wel- 
fare when they heard that Pretty- Voice's wife was missing. Pretty- 
Voice knew what was going to happen. He had told his mother long 
before when in trouble with his own tribe, that if anything should 
happen to him, even if he should be torn to pieces, she must collect 
his flesh and throw him into a stream near some timber and then she 
would see him again. 

The girl camped near the village and there prepared the arrows 
and bullets as she had learned. A fierce battle began. The inhabitants 
of the village were defeated, and in a short time Pretty- Voice appeared. 
"There he comes ! To-day you are lost !" cried the enemy. Pretty- 
Voice started after them as usual and drove the enemy a great dis- 
tance, but his body looked like a porcupine tail with arrows. The 



88 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

bullets and arrows had so loaded him that he fell. The enemy turned 
around and scalped many of them. They mutilated the body of Pretty- 
Voice. The battle ended. The people went out to bury their dead, 
and especially Pretty-Voice. His poor mother, crying for her son, 
came out with a robe to collect his flesh and do as she had been told. 
The men noticed what she was intending to do. They asked her what 
she was going to do. She told all that Pretty-Voice had said, but the 
men would not hear of his coming again, as he had done enough mis- 
chief. The old mother insisted, but the men would not let her. As the 
brothers disapproved of her plan she gave in, and instead of burying 
his body they made a big fire and destroyed the body entirely. A num- 
ber of days after his body had been burned to ashes a pure white fog 
was seen to arise daily from that place. 



26. THE ELK RESCUES A WOMAN FROM THE BEAR.* 

There was a young man who fell in love with a certain girl in a 
village. This girl was the daughter of a chief, and she was very pretty. 
The young man was poor. He had no ponies, no relatives, but was 
often looking for them. The young girl fell in love with the young 
man, and so they planned to run away. The young man took some 
flint stones, bow and arrows, a knife and some robes, and went to the 
girl's lodge. He took the girl out, and they rode on ponies. They 
went off into a wild country by themselves. There they stayed. They 
made a tipi. The young man went out every day to kill deer, so that 
now they had plenty of meat all the time. The young man thought a 
great deal of his wife. The only time he left her was in the daytime. 
The young man killed so many deer that the woman made buckskin 
dresses for herself, and also buckskin leggings for the man. The 
young man killed many elk, and the teeth of the elk were put upon the 
buckskin dresses. They made a big new tipi. They had much dried 
meat. 

One day the young man said : "I will stop hunting. I will now 
go to yonder hill, and I will try to catch some eagles." So the young 
man went up on a hill, and he caught many eagles. He took them to 
his home. One time while he was in a den, waiting for an eagle to 
alight so that he could catch it, somebody came to his camping place 
and took away his wife. This being was a Bear. The Bear had turned 
into a man and had come to the camp. He had a robe about his shoul- 

•Told by Antelope. 



THE ELK RESCUES A WOMAN FROM A BEAR. 89 

ders, bear's claws about his neck, and he smelled so fine that the woman 
could not help but like him. When the man started to go the woman 
wanted to follow him. She finally left everything that she had and 
followed the man. This man was a Bear, and he led her into a den 
where there were a dozen or more women that he had taken from their 
husbands. In the evening, the young man got out from his cave, went 
to his camp, and found his wife gone, but everything else was in its 
place. The eagles that he had killed were there. He knew by this that 
if the enemy had taken her they would have taken the eagles too. So 
he hunted and hunted and yelled. At last he gave out. He went along 
the timber and finally an Elk found him. 

The young man told the Elk that he had lost his wife ; that he 
thought a great deal of her; and that now he was about dead from 
hunting her. The Elk told him that he was going to help him to get 
his wife back, but that he would have to fight. The Elk taught the 
man how to transform himself into an Elk. He also gave him a whistle, 
and told him that he whistled when he wanted female Elk to come to 
him, and that when he whistled they all rushed to him. The Elk told 
the young man to remain in the timber; that he would go and watch 
for the Bear ; and that when the Bear should be gone, he would come 
and let him know, so that the yoimg man might go and blow the whis- 
tle, while the Bear was gone. The Bear left his den and went out for 
a long distance. The Elk knew this. It came and told the young man. 
The young man went up close to the place where the den was and blew 
the whistle. As soon as his wife heard the whistle she said, "Women, 
let us go ; that is my husband." Some of the women were afraid to go, 
for they were afraid of the Bear ; but the young man kept on whistling, 
and when the women heard it again they all rose and walked out of the 
den. They followed the young man's wife, who was now running to 
where the young man was standing. The young man saw his wife and 
was happy. He embraced her, and said, "Go, I will remain behind, 
for the Bear will surely come after you." 

The Elk now came, and said: "The Bear is coming. Watch. 
Fix your bow and arrows so that you can shoot the Bear, while I put my 
head down and thus make a kind of barrier so that he can not get 
through, on account of my horns." The Bear came, and as he at- 
tacked the Elk the Elk put his head down so that the Bear could not 
get through, and as the Elk began to lift its head up it brought its 
head and the whole weight of its horns upon the Bear, thus sticking 
its horns into the Bear's body, while the young man shot at the Bear 
with his arrows. Thev killed the Bear. The Elk now turned to the 



90 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

young- man, and said, "I shall now go to my place." But the young 
man said, "No, I shall only take my wife; you take the other women." 
So the Elk took the other women, and they all turned into Elk. For 
this reason, when a male elk whistles, all the female elk run to him. 



27. THE BOY AND THE ELK.* 

There was a young man in the Arikara village who was very 
handsome. He tried to marry, but the girls all seemed to hate him. 
He went off to a hilly country where there was a lake. On the west 
side of the lake was a skull of an animal. He placed himself by the 
skull and began to cry. 

On the second night an Elk came to the boy, but soon disappeared. 
In a short time the boy heard the clear, beautiful notes of a flute. The 
sound of the flute came nearer and nearer the boy, until it came to 
where he stood. There stood before him an Elk. The Elk now spoke 
to him, and said : "My brother, that is my skull before you. I know 
what you are crying for. The women do not like you, and you wish 
to be liked by them. I now take pity upon you. Take the teeth from 
this skull. Wear the large ones about your neck. Wear the others in 
your ears. I give you a flute. Go to the village of your people. Blow 
this flute, and you will see the young girls coming to you." The young 
man received the flute and also pulled the teeth from the skull. He 
went home and did as he was told to do. 

He tried his flute, and the young girls came to him. This he tried 
several times, until he was married. Women also came to him. The 
men did not like this, so they gathered together and agreed to kill him. 
In the evening the men went out and sat around with their bows and 
arrows. The man came out from his tipi and walked outside the 
camp, blowing his flute. The women started to run to him. The war- 
cry was raised and the men closed in on the boy, killing him. One of 
the boy's relatives took the teeth from his neck and ears, and also the 
flute. The relatives of the boy were afraid to bury the boy, so they 
left him where he was killed. The boy lay there for several days, but 
one night he came to the tipi of his mother. He woke her up and told 
her that he had returned. His mother did not believe it. But when 
she made a fire she saw her son sitting there. The son then said : 
"Mother, go to the society of Young-Dogs, and tell them to give me 

•Told by White-Bear. 



THE COYOTE, THE GIRL, AND THE MAGIC WINDPIPE. 9 1 

some tobacco, so that I may smoke." The mother went to the tipi and 
they gave her the tobacco. She gave the tobacco to her son, who 
smoked, and said, "This smoke is good." 

The men in the village were afraid. They thought the man would 
take revenge and kill some of them. The boy did not go out much, 
and the people doubted that he was back and alive. Some of the men 
went to the tipi to see if the boy was home and alive. The men saw^ 
the boy, and they became afraid. One day the boy sent for all his 
nearest kin, and said : "My relatives, my heart is poor, for these peo- 
ple killed me. I do not want to live here any more. Will you go with 
me where I am going?" All said, "Yes." So the boy went and caught 
his pony. The others did the same. Men, women, and children fol- 
lowed the boy. He went towards the river and told the people to fol- 
low him and they obeyed. They went into the water, and as they got 
into the water they began to disappear. They all turned into some kind 
of animal that lived in the water. The young man who had the flute 
and elk's teeth did not go, so he was the only one who lived. 



28. THE COYOTE, THE GIRL, AND THE MAGIC WINDPIPE * 

A long time ago there lived a beautiful girl who had her lodge 
in the center of the timber. She loved nobody, but she always had 
plenty of buffalo meat, and plenty to eat. She had some wonderful 
bundles hung up in her lodge. 

One day as she was eating in her lodge the Coyote visited her. He 
saw that she had plenty of meat, so he made his home with her. Every 
day they had meat. The Coyote was now the girl's errand man, and 
made fires for her and carried water for her. One day the girl was up 
early in the morning, and she said: "My uncle (Coyote), we are out 
of meat. I want fresh meat. My ibrothers will be here to-day, and I 
want you to stay on the north side of the entrance and cover your head 
up with your buffalo robe, and not to watch." The girl swept out the 
lodge, placed some hot coals between the altar and the fireplace, and 
put some sweet grass upon the coals. As the smoke arose from the 
coals she went to the sacred bundle, and from it took the windpipe of a 
buffalo, which was round, and small at one end and large at the other 
end. She waved this over the smoke, then took it and turned it upside 
down so that dust came out from it, and as the dust fell out it turned 

•Told by Antelope. 



92 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

into seven young men, who were her brothers. On the north side, 
where the sacred bundle hung, were several bows and arrows. These 
bows and arrows the brothers took down. When the boys took their 
bows and arrows the girl put her buffalo robe about her. She went 
up on to the lodge. She gave one yell toward the north, moved toward 
the west, moved toward the south, and then the buffalo came, from 
the north and from the west. She went back into the lodge, and her 
brothers began to kill the buffalo. They killed so many buffalo that 
the buffalo finally ran off. The brothers went into the lodge and stood 
in a row on the north side. The girl took some hot coals and placed 
them west of the fireplace, put some medicine and sweet grass upon 
them, and each brother, when his turn came, passed his bow and arrows 
through the smoke and laid them by the coals. Then they let the smoke 
pass through their bows. Then one stepped to the south of the coals 
and stopped ; he finally disappeared. After that all disappeared. The 
girl took the windpipe, passed it over the smoke, then put her hand on 
the ground, got the dust together, and put it back into the windpipe. 
She passed the windpipe over the smoke, tied it, and hung it up in its 
place again. She even took the bows and arrows, passed them over the 
smoke and threw them upon the ground. They became tiny bows and 
grass arrows. These she hung up by the bundle again. 

While all this was going on the Coyote had one eye open. After 
the girl was through with the performance she told the Coyote to come 
out. She went out with the Coyote and they skinned the buffalo. They 
brought the meat into the lodge, and left the hides outside. Every day 
the girl and the Coyote jerked the meat. The Coyote laid the bones 
around the fireplace and roasted them. When the Coyote ate the roast 
meat that was cooked he would think of his hungry children far away. 
At last he decided to steal the windpipe that contained the young men 
and to take it far away into his country, so that he could call the buffalo 
and have the young men to kill them. He said to himself: "If I find 
the enemy's camp I will attack them. I will turn that windpipe upside 
down and those brothers will come out, and they will fight for me. 
The people will think that I am a wonderful man." One day the 
Coyote asked the girl if her seven brothers in the windpipe were the 
only ones there. She said, "No, for, if I am attacked, I turn that wind- 
pipe upside down and there will be many young men, and my seven 
brothers will lead them out and they will fight for me." The Coyote 
said to himself, "That is good ; I will steal it." So the Coyote made 
up his mind to steal the windpipe that night. The girl knew what the 



THE COYOTE, THE GIRL, AND THE MAGIC WINDPIPE. 93 

Coyote was planning all the time, but she allowed him to steal it. The 
Coyote went up to the windpipe, took it down and went out of the 
lodge, to the north. He traveled far. He thought, "I am now far away 
from the girl ; I will lie down by the side of this log and sleep." The 
girl knew just where the Coyote had lain down, and so she had her 
brothers bring the Coyote back and place him at the ridge just before 
the entrance of the lodge, on the north side. In the morning the girl 
got up, went to the Coyote and waked him. When the Coyote awoke 
he found himself in the lodge. He said: "My niece, T thought the 
enemy were coming, so I took this thing down, so that I could put the 
brothers outside so that they could fight for us. I must have gone to 
sleep here. Put it back." Again the Coyote thought, "Well, I will 
stay, and I will yet steal this windpipe." So one night he took the 
windpipe down again and went off. He went until he came to a place 
where there were some ashes where timiber had been burned. He lay 
down to rest. The girl told her brothers to bring him back and place 
him outside of the lodge, where there was a pile of ashes. She went 
out in the morning, waked him, and the Coyote, when he awoke, found 
himself by the lodge. "My niece," he said, "I took this thing down, 
for there was a war-party coming to attack us. I went to meet the 
war-party and they ran away, and I came back and lay down here, for 
I was tired." The third time he tried to steal the windpipe, but again 
'he failed. The fourth time, the girl let the Coyote carry the thing off. 
So the Coyote went off, and the girl did not have him brought back. 
He became hungry, and as he saw a village he thought to himself. "If 
I do this wonderful thing to these people they will find out that I am 
wonderful and they will take me from one lodge to another to feed me." 
So the Coyote went up on the hill. He commenced to howl at the peo- 
ple in the village to come and kick with him. He thought that if he 
could get them to kick with liim he would turn the windpipe upside 
down and the young men would run. The young men in the village 
said : "That fellow is howling for us to come and kick with him. Let 
us go up and kick with him." So several yoimg men went up on the 
hill where the Coyote was. The Coyote took the windpipe and turned 
it upside down, but instead of dust and the boys coming out, a swarm 
of bumblebees came out, and they commenced to sting the Coyote all 
over. The boys continued to kick him. The Coyote began to beg them 
not to kick. The young men ran into the timber and the bees left the 
Coyote and went up into a hollow tree. There they stayed. The 
Coyote went off as a coyote. The bees stayed in the timber, as bees. 



94 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

29. THE BUFFALO WIFE AND THE JAVELIN GAME.* 

A long time ago there was a village upon the Missouri River, 
In this village was a young man who was well-to-do. He was hand- 
some, but did not care for women. He seemed to be successful in 
all his undertakings. In hunting he killed many deer and antelope. 
He dug holes upon high hills and covered them with willows and 
placed carcasses of rabbits or some fresh meat on them. Magpies 
would come there and eat of the meat, then eagles would light there, 
so that he dragged them in. People got to calling him "Man-Who- 
Kills-Game-Easily." 

One day he went hunting, and as he climbed up on a high hill 
he isaw somebody coming. The boy lay down upon the hill and went 
to sleep. When he awoke the sun had gone down, and it was night. 
He lay down again and went to sleep. He saw a buffalo cow sitting 
upon a prairie and two bulls were standing back of her, and each 
bull was saying, "I will ring her." The boy thought that he was 
standing by looking on. When the bulls ran to where the buffalo 
cow was sitting they turned into sticks and the boy also saw that 
the cow had turned to a ring. The boy, in his dream, picked up each 
stick and examined it, so that he knew just how they were made. 
He also thought he picked up the ring and examined it. The next 
morning he woke up. He looked where he had seen a person the 
day before and he saw something there. This time it was not a per- 
son, but a buffalo cow. The cow came and stopped on a prairie. 
She sat down. The boy went down from the hill, for the cow was 
by it. The boy could see no other cow. Bovi appropinquavit 
quacum, cum benigna videretur, concubuit. When he stood back 
the cow disappeared. The boy looked into the grass and' there was 
the ring he had dreamed of. He picked up the ring and went home. 
He wore it upon his wrist. Every night he dreamed about the 
sticks, so he went out one day and cut ash timber and made the sticks. 
Every morning the young man used to go outside the village and call 
out, "I have sticks here to play with !" The young men of the village 
came out and ]:)layed the game. Some of them would rather play 
the game than eat. This particular man was skillful in playing the 
game. He 'seemed to be the only one who could catch the ripg. He 
won many things, such as eagle feathers, wampum, beads and many 
other things. The game became very popular. Men came from 
their homes and played all day with the sticks. 

•Told by Hawk. 



THE BUFFALO WIFE AND THE JAVELIN GAME. 95 

One day the boy took his bow and arrows and went hunting for 
game. The game generally was plentiful, but on this hunt the boy 
failed to find any game. He kept on going south until he came to 
a valley where there was a large stream of water. There in the valley 
he saw a person. He approached and saw that the person was an 
old woman. The young man spoke to the old w'oman, and she said : 
"My grandson, I am weak. Take pity on me. Carry me across 
the river, that I may go out to the village." The young man told her 
to walk and that he would hold her while she crossed the river. But 
the old woman said: "No, my grandson; put me upon your back. 
take me across, and set me upon that nice grass on the other side." 
The young man gave in, and he put the old woman upon his back 
and waded the river. After the boy had crossed the river he said, 
"Well, you had better get off." The old woman said, "My grand- 
son, take me a little further." So the boy went on. When the boy 
stopped to put the old woman down she laughed, and said : "No, my 
grandson ; you cannot put me down ; I am your wife now." The boy 
became furious and tried to throw the old woman off, but she was 
fast to his back. The boy stuck her with his knife and tried hard 
to get her off, but the old woman stuck on and laughed at the boy. 
The old woman said : "Grandson, you might as well go home, for 
I am to stay with you always. Let the young men see you carry an 
old woman. You are so proud that you do not look at the women." 
The young man made up his mind to go home. So he went home 
with the old woman upon his back. 

People looked at the young man coming into camp with an old 
woman upon his back. Children crowded about him and followed 
the boy through the village. He w^ent into his lodge and told his 
friends what had happened to him. The people placed the young 
man in the lodge and medicine-men M^ere sent for. All the medicine- 
men failed to get the old woman off the young man's back. While 
the people crowded around, a poor boy came and stood with the 
people. He spoke out and said, "I can take the old woman from 
that young man's back." Then he disappeared. The people heard 
the poor boy spyeak, and the people told the relatives what the poor 
boy said. The poor boy was living in a shelter with his grandmother. 
The boy spoke to his grandmother, and said : "Grandmother, the 
people are coming after me to take the woman off from the boy. I 
can take her off." The old woman felt sorry for her grandson, not 
knowing that the boy had powers to take the old woman off. The 
relativ-^ of the boy came and brought with them the medicine-men's 



96 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

pipe. The men stood before the boy, holding the pipe before him. 
The boy reached and took it. The people thanked the boy for taking 
it. The boy then took his bow and four arrows of different colors. 
He put his old robe on, holding his bow and arrows in his left hand. 
He went into the lodge of the young man with the old woman upon 
his back. 

No sooner had the boy entered the lodge than the old woman on 
the man's back became scared. She did not talk much. The boy 
walked up and said : "Woman, you did wrong. You were sent for 
a purpose, and instead of doing what you were told, you turned 
into a woman and became fast upon the young man. You came from 
the Buffalo with a message and now you are an old woman stuck 
upon the back of this young man. I shall take you off. These arrows 
are from my father, Lightning. These flint points will be the ones that 
will take you off." The boy then ran around the lodge. Taking the 
black arrow, he shot at the woman under the shoulder. The arrow 
struck tfie woman and split her in two. taking off a part of the boy's 
flesh. The boy ran around again. This time he took the red arrow and 
shot the woman under the chin, taking her entirely off from the boy. 
The boy then ran around again, taking a white arrow. He placed 
the arrow upon the back of the boy. Again he ran, and this time 
the boy took the yellow arrow and placed it upon the sore place of the 
boy's back. He ran again, and took the arrow off. He also took 
the other two arrows, and said: "People, take the old woman out- 
side and place her upon a big fire!" The boy went out and went to 
bis grandmother's. They made a big fire, placed the old woman 
upon it, and burned her. 

The people took some gifts to the poor boy. The next morning 
an old woman went out of the lodge and heard a woman crying at 
the entrance. It was near where the woman was burned. A voice 
was also heard to say : "Your father threw you away. He burned 
you. You must not cry." The young man heard it, and began to 
think. He would say to himself: "I have never been with any 
woman. I do not understand this talk." The next night the child was 
again heard crying, and towards morning the young man again heard 
the talk. The young man now felt for the ring he had, and it was 
gone. The next night the boy thought of the woman's voice and 
lay awake. He did not hear her any more, so he went to sleep. Tn 
his dream he saw himself playing with the stick, and every time he 
hooked the ring he thought he was with a woman. 



THE BUFFALO WIFE AND THE JAVELIN GAME. 97 

Some one went out of the lodge, and there, where the ashes were, 
was a new white tipi, and inside was a woman with a child upon 
her lap, talking to it. In the evening, the people went out to see the 
tipi, but there was no tipi. The young man was now well. He 
made up his mind to go out and see the tipi. When the child began 
to cry, the young man went out to see the tipi, and as he went out 
a woman with a new buffalo robe passed by him, leading a child. 
The young man went into the lodge and gathered up many eagle 
feathers and made a bundle of them. This he put upon his back, and 
went out of the lodge, following the woman and the child. The 
woman had made the young man follow her. By daylight the young 
man could see footprints of the woman and the child. He now saw 
the woman and the child walking up the hill. The young man ran 
to catch up with them, but as he got to the top of the hill he saw 
the woman and child walking, but this time they were Buffalo. The 
young man ran after them. Once in a while the young calf would 
run back, hop around the man, then return to his mother. When 
the calf would catch up with his mother he would say : "Mother, 
let us go slow. Father is tired." The Buffalo cow would say: "No, 
my son, you must not run to that man; he put us into the fire." In 
the night, the man saw a tipi near a river. He went to it. The calf 
came out and said, "Father, my mother said you were to lie down 
outside." The young man lay down outside and went to sleep. When 
he a\voke the next morning the tipi was gone. So he got up and 
followed the Buffalo. Every time the cow came to a stream of water 
she would rush in and lay a covering of dust over it, so that the 
water was hidden. The dust layer would be about two inches deep, 
so that the man could walk over it. The calf came to the man and 
said, "Father, do you want to drink?" The man said, "I am dying, 
for my throat is dry." The calf told the man that he would stick 
his foot through the crust of dust, so that he could drink when he 
came to the little hole ; that when he was through he must cover up 
the hole. The man found the hole and drank. He also washed his 
face and head. He first thought: "What a little hole. Can I get 
enough to drink?" But he was soon filled, and thought it wonderful 
that a httle hole like that should hold so much water. The man felt 
refreshed and ran on after the Buffalo. In the night the man again 
saw the tipi, and he knew that it was the Buffalo tipi. He went to it, 
and the calf came out, and said, "Father, my mother says you are to 
come into the tipi and lie down by the entrance." So the man went 



98 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

into the tipi and lay down by the entrance. When he woke up, 
the tifxi was gone. He went on west and saw the Buffalo cow going 
with the calf. The calf went back and met the man, and said, "My 
father, are >'Ou hungry?" The man said, ''Yes, I am starving." The 
calf said : "Watch me. I will drop something and you are to pick 
it up and eat it. When you have eaten enough put it away and eat 
it when you are 'hungry." The calf ran, and all at once he stopped. 
His tail went up and he dropped a chip. The man picked up the chip 
when he came to it, and to his surprise it was pemmican. It was 
not a very large piece. It seemed to have more fat in it than meat. 
As the man took a bite he thought the piece was too small to satisfy 
his hunger, but as he ate, it seemed to grow larger. It was made 
from a whole buffalo. That evening the man went into the tipi. He 
was told by the boy Buffalo that his mother had said his father was to 
sit by her. So the man walked up where the woman sat and sat down 
by her. In the night they slept together. The boy was very happy. 
Next morning the boy got up and played with his father. When 
the woman got up she shook her robe and wrapped herself in it, and 
there she stood, a Buffalo. The tipi disappeared. The boy was a 
Buffalo calf. The three now walked on, and the woman spoke to the 
man, and said, "On yonder hill sits this boy's grandfather, who is 
waiting for us." 

When they arrived at the hill he saw the Buffalo bull sitting 
upon the hill. When the Buffalo bull saw them coming he stood 
up, stretched, and said: "So you people have come at last. I have 
been waiting here for you." The man then took two eagle feathers 
and tied them upon the horns of the Buffalo bull. He shook his 
head and jumped around to see the feathers wave. "Go," said the 
Buffalo bull. "This is what we want. You will see two bulls sitting 
on yonder hill. Give thom presents and they will be glad to get them." 
So they went on, and when they got to the hill they saw the two 
bulls. The young man went up to the bulls and put his feathers upon 
their shaggy heads. They also ran and jumped about, shaking their 
heads. "Go," they said. "On yonder hill sit three bulls who are 
waiting for you. Make them glad by giving them presents." So 
they went on again. They came to the hill and the three bulls sat 
there. The young man put feathers upon their shaggy heads. They 
also jumped aroimd and were thankful. "Go," they said. "On yonder 
hill sit four Buffalo bulls, who are chiefs of the Buffalo camp." The 
young man took his feathers and put them upon the heads of the 



THE BUFFALO WIFE AND THE JAVELIN GAME. 99 

Buffalo. The Buffalo jumped around and shook their shaggy heads, 
each looking at the other's feathers, until they finally locked horns. 

The man, the Buffalo cow, and the boy were told to go and enter 
the village of the Buffalo. They went and entered and drove off 
Buffalo, but as the man did not have enough feathers to go around, the 
Buffalo became mad. Some said, "We can not kill him, for he has 
not enough." But others said, "We must kill him, for he burned 
our messenger." Some said, "We can not kill him, for the messenger 
did wrong by turning to an old woman and sticking onto the young 
man." The Buffalo were angry. They told the woman to tell the 
man to sit upon the hill until it was decided what should be done 
with him. The young man went upon the hill, took from his buffalo 
belt a flint stone knife and stuck it in the ground. As he did so he 
called upon the gods in the ground to form stone around where he 
sat. The young man seemed to know what was coming. 

The calf soon came and told the man that the Buffalo intended 
to kill him, for the people had burned his mother. The calf told him 
that there were Buffalo who took his part, but as they were few in 
number they could do nothing; that the woman had done wrong by 
turning into an old woman and causing him trouble, but this story 
was of no avail, for the Buffalo were determined to kill the young 
man. The man took his seat upon the hill as he was requested. The 
calf said : "Father, I am to run a race with three other calves. I have 
a friend here who says that he will help me." The man looked at 
Yellow-Calf standing by his son. He knew Yellow-Calf was a won- 
derful calf, that was liked and loved by all of the Buffalo. So the 
man knew that the calf was safe. The calves went far away, and 
ran. The two calves beat the others. The Buffalo were furious, 
hooking the ground here and there. Again the Buffalo gathered in 
council and it was decided that the man should hunt his wife. There 
were four other Buffalo cows placed with the boy's mother, who 
looked like them all. The boy placed a burr upon his mother's head, 
so that his father would know her. The man passing the Buffalo 
knew the woman cow and picked her out. 

The Buffalo bulls decided to kill the man by rushing upon him 
where he sat and stamping him to death. If not, then they were to 
hook him. The boy went to his father and told him what was to 
happen. He took a downy feather and placed it in his father's hair. 
The Buffalo came and stamped about the man, around whose head 
waved the downy feather. Four times the Buffalo rushed upon the 



Lof 



lOO TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

man, but when they scattered he was always found sitting upon the 
hill. The Buffalo became furious. They ran to hook him, but every 
time the Buffalo hooked the ground their horns were knocked off. 
The ground around the boy had spread and formed flint rocks, for the 
boy bad stuck bis flint stone into the ground and formed flint rock. 
Four times the Buffalo attacked the man, but they could not reach him. 
At last they gave up, and returned to their places in the herd. 

The Buffalo now again sat in council. They decided to send the 
man, Buffalo oow, and calf to the Indian village for presents, such as 
eagle feathers, and native tobacco. The Buffalo said to the man: 
"Your people are bungry. You must go bome and we will follow you. 
When the presents have been brought to us, then we will send to your 
people a bunch of buffalo so that they may kill and have meat to eat." 
The man was glad, and started on his homeward journey; but a Buffalo 
bull got in his way. It had also been decided to turn the man into a 
Buffalo, and the bull was the one to turn him into a Buffalo. The bull 
attacked the man, but the man stood his ground and met the Buffalo, 
so that the man was run over by the Buffalo. The next thing he knew 
he was locking horns with the other Buffalo and to bis surprise he 
found that he was now a Buffalo. 

After the man had become a Buffalo he and his wife and the son 
started for their country, the main herd of Buffalo following. After 
several nights' travel the man told the Buffalo that he and his wife and 
child would start for their country at once. The Buffalo were glad. 
The three, as Buffalo, started on ahead, the rest following slowly. They 
traveled very fast, until at last they came in sight of the village. The 
Buffalo rested in a hollow and the next morning 'turned themselves 
into human beings and walked on into the village. The man found his 
lodge. People flocked into the lodge to see them, for they were fine- 
looking beings. Their robes were all new. The man told the people to 
keep their distance, for tbey (the people) smelled very badly. The 
man told of his errand and the people began to come in with eagle 
feathers and native tobacco. The man took all the things, and with 
his wife and son went out. People watched them, and as the three 
went over a hill they became Buffalo again. The three ran until the 
Buffalo came up, and the man gave many presents. Those who re- 
ceived presents were willing to go with the first bunch to be slaughtered 
by the people. So the three ran back to the village, and got there in the 
nig'ht. A big fire was made in the Buffalo man's lodge, chiefs were sent 
for, and the man told them to be ready to go out the next morning; 
that the people would find a bunch of Buft'alo on the other side of the 



THE ORIGIN OF THE WOLF DANCE. lOI 

hills. The people went out and found the Buffalo. They surrounded 
them and killed all of them. Again the young man told them to go out 
and kill Buffalo. Four times they killed. The whole drove came to 
the village. 

The leader of the Buffalo now sat upon a high hill, with a Buffalo 
skull in front of him. The Buffalo man was sent for, and the Buffalo 
leader said : "I am satisfied. The people are happy. This day I give 
you sticks to play with. The two sticks are people. The ring is a kind 
of people — the Buffalo. When you play, the sticks which you ring 
are the enemy, whom you conquer. The ring is the Buffalo. The peo- 
ple will become very jealous of their hunting-ground. You will be at 
war with other people in the country." These sticks were placed in the 
priests' lodge, so that when a bundle ceremony was given the sticks 
were placed before the people. The sticks were people. Two sets of 
people wdio became jealous of the Buffalo then fought. The ones who 
caught the ring were conquerors. The man went home and lived a long 
life. The Buffalo calf started the Buffalo ceremony among the people. 



30. THE ORIGIN OF THE WOLF DANCE.* 

When the Arikara lived on the Missouri River, there was a hand- 
some young man in ithe village, whose father was a chief. The young 
man had never been on the war-path. He never played with other 
young men, but stayed around close to his lodge. Many young girls 
in the village went to him to be married to him, but he would not have 
them. There was one place that he went and that was upon a high hill, 
west of the village. He had a certain way of going to that hill. 

Now, there were seven beautiful girls in the tribe, each of whom 
had tried to marry the young man and had been refused. The seven 
girls got together and planned to put the young man into a hole, 
which was about ten feet in depth, and larger at the bottom. They 
spread some weeds over the hole, and when the time came for the 
young man to come that way they hid. The young man came, stepped 
over the hole and fell in. 

For some time he stood yelling for help. At last the seven girls 
went to the hole and they told him that he must give his clothing' 
to them. He took his things off, and the girls each took a little basket, 
dropped it down, and received in it a piece of clothing. Then each girl 
dropped her basket, and asked the young man to spit in it, promising 

♦Told by Snowbird. 



I02 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

that if he did what they asked they would take him out. As each 
basket received the spittle the girl would pull it out and lick the 
spittle. After each girl had got the boy's spittle and licked it, they 
said, "You must give us your loin-cloth." This he gave to them. 
They tore it in seven pieces, so that each had one piece. lamque 
puer nudus erat. Deinde puellae dixerunt si sibi glandem penis os- 
tenderet eique limum aspergeret, se eum sublaturas.. Hoc puer abnuit. 
Tum dixerunt puellas. "Si vis nos omnes in matrimonium ducere polli- 
ceri, te tollere volumus." Puer pollicitus est. But all the girls spoke 
out, and said: "You have always been mean; you have had a dislike 
for us ; we will leave you in this hole and let you die ; we are not 
going to take you out." So the girls went away and the boy com- 
menced to cry. 

Soon after the girls had gone away a gray Wolf looked down 
upon the boy, and said, "I am sorry for you, and I will help you." 
The Wolf went away, and while he was gone a Bear came to the 
hole. The Wolf came back and a dispute arose over the ownership of 
the boy. The Bear claimed that the boy belonged to him ; but the 
Wolf said, "He is mine." The Bear said : "He is mine, too. I shall 
eat him up." So the Bear and the Wolf began to quarrel to see who 
should have the boy. The Wolf whispered to the boy, and said : 
"I shall dig with this Bear, and you must dig on this side; for if 
he digs through first he will eat you ; but if I dig through first and 
reach you before he does I shall save you, and you shall be my son." 
So it was agreed between the Bear and the Wolf that they each 
should dig through the earth, and whosoever should first dig through 
to where the boy was should claim ihim. 

The Bear and the Wolf began to dig. Where the Wolf and 
the boy were digging there was nothing but sand, while on the side 
where the Bear was digging it was hard dirt, mixed with stones and 
gravel ; so the Wolf was the first to dig through. When the Bear 
came tlirough, he found out that the Wolf had already dug through. 
The Bear stood up, and said, "You have beaten me, but this young 
man shall be my son, and I shall help him whenever he calls upon me." 

The Wolf took the boy among the Wolves. The boy soon 
ceased to care to walk, and began to crawl upon his hands and knees, 
and to eat raw meat, just as the Wolves did. He came to act like a 
Wolf. The skin upon his haunches was now so thick that he could 
slide on them. 

In the village, the boy's father mourned for him for many years. 
But in a chase for bufifalo somebody saw a <lrove of Wolves with 



THE ORIGIN OF THE WOLF DANCE. IO3 

this human being among them. He told other people about it. After 
the hunt was over, all the men in the camp went out where they had 
killed the buffalo and there they found the Wolves, and this human 
being among them. They ran their horses after the Wolves, but this 
human being ran so fast that he beat all the Wolves and escaped; 
but they knew that it was the young man. For a whole year they 
planned to catch the human Wolf, but he was so swift that they 
could not catch him. 

Now, there was a. man in the tribe who had medicines for catch- 
ing the human Wolf and for taking the Wolf feeling out of him. 
This man agreed to try to catch the human Wolf. So the man went 
and selected a place in a hilly country. There was a steep bank on 
the west side, another on the south side, and another on the east 
side, and there was an opening at the north side. Having selected 
this place, the man told the people to make their village about three 
miles east from there. He ordered the women to go to this place, and 
dig a deep hole on the south side of the banks, so that the Wolves 
could not climb out. The women also cut long poles and set them 
on the top of the banks, so that, in case the Wolf did crawl up, these 
poles would be in his way. At the opening, long poles were set up, 
so that there was left only a little opening. They also strung a lot 
of willows, which was to be a doorway to close up the entrance. The 
man now ordered a certain number of young men to go and kill 
buffalo. These young men went out, and they killed the buffalo, 
brought the meat, and placed it inside of this enclosure. The Wolves 
followed them up, and then the men on horseback circled the Wolves 
and ran them into this trap, the human Wolf among them. There 
were four strong men who put on rawhide leggings, and caps with 
holes in them, so that they could see, and these four men were put 
into the trap. They ran after the Wolf man. Every time the Wolves 
ran around by the doorway the door was removed, and the Wolves 
went out. At last they had the man Wolf by himself. The entrance 
was stopped. The four men finally succeeded in catching the Wolf 
man. Then they tied him and took him out. He tried to bite them, 
but the rawhide was so dry that he could not hurt them. While the 
four men were catching him the medicine-man had built a sweat-lodge. 
The hot stones were taken into the lodge quickly and the man was 
taken in there and tied. The man poured water upon the hot stones, 
and sweated the Wolf man. The medicine-man kept pouring water 
on the stones, until the Wolf man begged for some water. Then the 
medicine-man gave him some medicine that he had prepared, and 



I04 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

the Wolf man began to vomit. The Wolf man vomited hairs of Wolves, 
white clay, also froth and raw meat. All this time the people were 
rubbing wild sage upon his body, especially upon his knees. The 
Wolf man became exhausted and finally said, "I feel better now." 
The medicine-man continued to give him medicine until the Wolf 
man could vomit no more. They then untied him and took him into 
his lodge, and he finally recovered. 

The Wolf man stayed in bed all night and the next day. Then, in 
the night, he sent for his father. He told his father that he wanted 
him to build a tipi, and that towards evening he wanted him to go 
through the village and invite the bravest men in the tribe to come to 
his, the father's, tipi — not to the tipi he had built for the boy. 

Now, the seven girls who had put the boy into the hole were in- 
vited. They were itold to dress up in their fine clothes, and as he had 
promised to marry them he wanted them to come to his tipi that they 
had put up for him. These girls came to the tipi, and the young man 
gave them seats. The young man left the lodge, and told his father 
to place the brave men around the lodge; that he was going out, and 
as soon as he should come back the guards were to leave their sta- 
tions. The boy went to the north, and cried, "Father, my father, come 
and help me !" The Wolves came up, and said : "We will help you. 
What is it you want?" The boy said: ''The girls who were the cause 
of my being with the Wolves are in my tipi. I want you to devour 
them." The Wolves promised that they would. Then the boy went 
to the west, among the cedars, and there he cried : "Father Bear, make 
haste. I have something for you to eat." The Bear came, and said, 
"My son, what is it?" The boy said: "The girls who put me into the 
hole are now in my tipi. I want you to go with your friends and devour 
them." The Bear said : "We will do this gladly; we will come." The 
boy went back to the village, and stood a little distance from his tipi. 
Soon the Wolves came on his left, and the Bears came from behind. 
He led them up to his tipi. He told the Wolves to stand on the north 
side, and the Bears to stand on the west and south side. After this 
was done, the young man went into the tipi, and said : "Girls, you put 
me into a ihole, and you left me (there to die. The Wolves took me out, 
and I was with the Wolves for some time. Those same Wolves are 
now to eat you up." The girls begged for mercy, but there was no 
mercy shown them. Each girl tried to crawl out from where she was 
sitting, but the Wolves ate them. 

At the same time the old man, the iboy's father, went through the 
village, telling the people that the seven girls were being devoured by 



DANCE OF BEAVER, TURTLE, AND WITCH-WOMAN. IO5 

wild animals, iDecause they had dug the hole and placed his son there 
to die. The old man told the story of the taking off of the young 
man's clothing, and of the girls' promise to take the boy out of the 
hole if he would do certain things which he had refused to do, and of 
their leaving the boy in the hole to die. 

When the people heard the story they were angry at the girls, so 
that the relatives of the girls did not offer to save them, as the girls 
had done wrong. 

The next day the people broke camp and went away from the 
place. This young man became a great warrior and a brave, and finally 
became a chief. He married and started a dance among the Arikara 
that is known as the "Wolf dance." This was a young man's dance, 
but the people do not dance it any more. 



31. THE MEDICINE DANCE OF THE BEAVER, TURTLE, AND 
WITCH-'WOMAN.* 

In olden times the animals met in a lodge to have sleight-of-hand 
performances. All the medicine-animals and all the birds who had 
magic power went to this lodge. The animals decided that only the 
leading animals should perform — the Beaver, the soft-shell Turtle, and 
the old Witch-Woman. 

First, the crowd arose where sat the Medicine-Beaver. The Beaver 
arose and began to sing, -telling his followers to sing. Then the Beaver 
went to the first post, vvhich was supporting the lodge at the southeast, 
and began to gnaw it. The post was gnawed until only a small piece 
of it remained. The Beavers still sang. The Beaver then went to the 
next posit and gnawed away at the base. He gnawed until just a little 
was left. The Beavers still sang and the Beaver went to the next post 
and gnawed until he had nearly gnawed through. 

The people began to get scared. The animals also became scared, 
so they called upon the errand man to ask the Beaver not to gnaw the 
post through, for the lodge was about to fall. The errand man arose 
and begged the Medicine-Beaver to stop. The Beaver stopped, and 
then ran around the lodge, repaired all the posts again, and said : 
"This was only sleight-of-hand. It is not real." The animals and 
lookers-on rejoiced to see the trick, for now the lodge stood solid as 
usual. 



•Told by White-Bear. 



I06 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

Now came the Turtle, who was mad because the Beaver fooled 
the people. So he called for his followers, and they gathered around 
him and sang: 

"Let me stand where my fathers stood. 
Let a flood pour forth from my throat! 
I am doing something wonderful. 
Let all people look !" 

So the people looked. The Turtle took his knife and stuck it close 
to his left collar-bone. Water began to pour forth from the cut, until 
there was water all over the lodge. Then the people began to get 
scared. The errand man was requested to beg the Turtle to stop pour- 
ing forth water in the lodge. The errand man begged the Turtle and 
the Turtle inhaled and drew all the water back into himself. The peo- 
ple all took their places again. Stawi, a Witch-Woman, came, and said : 

"Gun given me by old medicine-men. 
Gun given me by old medicine-men. 
Gun given me by old medicine-men." 

The old woman had a buffalo robe over her shoulders, and she 
held in her hands a mysterious looking thing dotted with spots of 
white clay and painted in black. At the top of it were red feathers. 
The object was a gun, a thing to kill with, to shoot medicine. Now, at 
this time, the old woman wanted to show the power of this mysterious 
object. She ran around the lodge and then placed the object upon the 
ground. She ran to it. She wrestled with it. She covered it with 
her robe. Now she lifted it. She ran around, and all at once she began 
to groan — as if in pain. At last she called for help, for she was in 
misery. The people went to her, and there they found the old woman 
in travail. She was cared for, and she gave birth to a child, who was 
to become a great medicine-man among the people and a leader in the 
medicine dance. The medicine-animals rejoiced and sang their songs 
again with joy. 



32. THE VILLAGE-BOY AND THE WOLF POWER.* 

In olden times there was a village, and in this village was a man 
who had five children — four girls and a boy. In the dances, the girls 
would go out and take part, although the boy never went on the war- 

•Told by Yellow-Bear. 



THE VILLAGE-BOY AND THE WOLF POWER. I07 

path, and never left the village. For this reason the people called the 
boy "Village-Boy." 

After a time the people began to make fun of the girls for danc- 
ing when their brother had never gone out on the war-path nor taken 
part in the battle, fought near the village. The girls were sorry. The 
boy saw that the girls were being made fun of for dancing when he 
had not gone on the war-path. The young man told his father that he 
was going up on a high mound where there was a graveyard. The 
father was glad of this. The boy put black soot upon his face, and 
he stuck some grass arrows in his hair. He went up into the grave- 
yard, and there he stood, mourning. 

While he was there, a big white timber Wolf came to him and 
asked him what he was crying about. The boy told him that he was a 
poor boy ; that he had never been on the war-path, nor taken a scalp ; 
that he had four sisters who danced in the scalp-dance and were ridiculed 
for dancing when their brother had never been on the war-path. The 
Wolf told the boy not to cry, for he would take care of him. The 
Wolf then told the boy that he would look after him ; that he should go 
into the village ; and that the first time there was a war-party he should 
join it and start out with it ; that he, the Wolf, would find him and 
lead him to the enemy's camp. 

One day it was noised through the camp that the people were 
going on the war-path. Village-Boy then told his friend that if after 
they had been gone for three days the scouts should kill any Buffalo, 
he should get some of the knee-caps of the Buffalo and keep them for 
him, as he would follow close after them. 

The war-party started out, and after they had been gone three 
days Village-Boy told his father that he was going to start out to over- 
take the war-party. He also told his sisters to make him some mocca- 
sins. So the young man started out on the journey ; but before this 
happened the Wolf 'had been coming to visit the young man, and had 
taught the young man the secret powers of the Wolf. So the young 
man started out, and when he had come to a ravine he rolled himself 
upon the ground, and when he got up he was a Wolf. 

The Wolf followed the trail of the warriors. Some time in the 
night he came to their camp. He did not go right into the camp, but 
stayed behind, and some time in the night he barked like a Wolf. His 
friend said, "There is my friend, Village-Boy." He took up the burned 
bones and took them to him. When he got there it was the Village- 
Boy. He threw the bones at the boy. The boy gnawed at the bones, 
just like a Wolf. When Village-Boy got through eating, he told his 



I08 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

friend to go back to the camp where the others were and to watch out, 
for the next day he should see him, and that then he should tell the 
people that it was Village-Boy. The boy went to the camp, while 
Village-Boy went on ahead. 

The next day Village-Boy was seen coming. Village-Boy's friend 
told the other warriors that he was Village-Boy. So he ran up to 
Village-Boy. Village-Boy then told his friend that the enemy's camp 
was a short distance away. The warriors then stopped and sang some 
songs for Village-Boy. Village-Boy departed. The next day they 
saw him again, driving many ponies. He brought them to the people. 
Then he led the warriors into camp. The war-party then attacked the 
enemy's village. Village-Boy was in the lead. He killed one enemy 
and took his scalp. He left, and hid out while the battle was going on. 
After a time the warriors came back where the horses were, and Vil- 
lage-Boy came there. He gave the scalp to the leader of the war-party, 
also all the ponies, telling him that he was going ahead of them. 

Village-Boy now returned to his home. Not a word was spoken 
by him, nor was anything said by him about the battle. He just lay 
upon his bed. 

A few days afterward the war-party returned home and near the 
village had a sham battle. The people went out to meet them. It was 
announced by the leader of the war-party that Village-Boy had done 
all the killing, and capturing of the ponies. Village-Boy's father 
thought that the warriors were making fun of his son because he had 
come back several days before without anything. But when the war- 
riors came into the village and showed the scalp that Village-Boy had 
taken and given to the leader, and also when the ponies he had captured 
were brought to the village, then all the old men believed. Village-Boy'o 
father scolded him because he had said nothing. Scalp dances were 
made throughout the village. The young man's sisters now danced 
the scalp dance without fear of ridicule. Whenever the young man 
went out to dance the women surrounded him. He married and be- 
came one of the great men of the village. 

One day "he took several warriors and went east. He came to a 
village that was known as the "Village-of-the-Dumb-People." He 
left the war-party behind and went into the village by himself. He 
killed their medicine-man, cut his throat, and carried the head away. 
As he carried the head away it kept mumbling. The people became 
excited when they found out that their prophet was dead. They began 
to talk in a peculiar language. These warriors were followed by the 
Dumb-People, who did not catch up with them. 



THE RABBIT BOY. lOQ 

The head of the medicine-man was placed in the village. When 
the head dried it turned into a kind of wood. The people used this 
head for medicinal purposes. When they wanted to give it to a 
patient they scraped a portion from the head and gave it to the per- 
son for certain sicknesses. It cured many people. The same head is 
still among our people, only it is about the size of a hen's egg now. 



33. THE RABBIT BOY * 

In olden times there was a village upon the Missouri River. In 
this village the young men were all the time going on the war-path, and 
there were many dances going on. There was a young man who took 
no part in their dances, nor in their war-parties. The people made fun 
of him, but he did not care. Each morning he would sleep until after 
the sun was high. When he ate he would climb up and sit upon the 
top of the lodge ; but the girls did not seem to care for him. His father 
scolded him, and wanted to know what was the matter with him. So 
the young man said, "I have never been anywhere, and I have never 
felt Hke going anywhere, but to-day I feel like going upon the grave- 
yard hill, to stand and mourn, and to see if the gods will help me." 
The old man took out his white clay. He put it upon the boy, and 
told him to go up to the graveyard. He said that he hoped the gods 
would help him. The boy went up on the hill and stood by the grave- 
yard. In the afternoon it stormed. The boy huddled himself against 
a grave mound. The boy's father came up and tried to coax him to 
come down, but the boy was determined to stay there. The old man 
and the old woman took a piece of bufifalo hide and stretched it over 
the boy, and there he remained during the storm, which lasted sev- 
eral days. 

As soon as it cleared up there was a noise overhead that sounded 
like big wind. The boy did not know what it was, but he could hear 
whistling coming down from above, then it would come up again. 
While he was there wondering what it was, there came a Jack-Rabbit. 
It crawled under his robe. Then an Eagle swooped down and sat by 
the boy, and it said, "My son, I have run that animal down, and I want 
you to give it to me, so that I can eat it." The Rabbit said : "My son, 
do not give me up ! Do not listen to the Eagle ! Just now he has the 
best of me. If you save me I will give you powers that I possess." 
The Eagle said: "Give him to me; I want to eat him! If you give 

♦Told by Elk. 



no TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

liim to me I will give you as many scalps (stretching out his right 
wing) as there are feathers in this wing." But the young man would 
not turn the Rabbit loose, for the Rabbit begged him, and said, "I will 
make you a great warrior," Then the Eagle said : "Turn that thing 
loose, so I can eat it, and when I am satisfied, I will give you powers 
that I possess. I will give you as many scalps as I have feathers on 
both wings." But the Rabbit begged hard, and said : "No, do not 
turn me loose ; he will do nothing of the kind. He will take me and 
eat me and tell you nothing of his power." The Eagle spread out its 
wings, and said : "Now see. So many scalps will I give you." Then 
the Eagle spread out its tail, and said : "As many feathers as are in 
my tail — as many of the enemy you shall strike, counting coup. Now 
give me that which you have there and let me eat it." The boy said, 
"No, the Rabbit came to me, and I will take care of him." The Eagle 
flew up and away. 

The Rabbit now crawled out of the boy's robe and sat down by 
him. After a while he said : "My son, I am thankful to you for sav- 
ing my life. I will make you a great warrior. I will give you a war- 
club. I will give you a rabbit-skin to wear about your neck. I will 
give you paint, which you shall put upon your body, and with this 
club you will kill many enemies." So the Rabbit gave the rabbit-skin, 
the war-club, and the medicine paints to the boy. 

The boy went down into the village in the night, hung his club 
and rabbit-skin over the head of his bed, lay down, and went to sleep. 
The next morning, when the father woke up, he saw these things hang- 
ing up. He awakened his wife and told her to see the things that the 
son had brought back with him. They were both glad to see that the 
boy had returned. 

At this time there was a war-party starting out. The young man 
told his sisters to make him several pairs of moccasins, for he was 
going to follow up the warriors. The warriors had been gone for four 
days when the boy started to follow them. He overtook them on the 
same day. He selected himself as a scout to go on ahead and see what 
he could find in the enemy's country. The young man found the 
enemy's camp. He came back and told the warriors what he had 
found. He then sat down among the warriors. The leader took from 
his bundle a flint knife and stuck it in the ground in front of where 
the warriors were sitting. The leading warrior also took a spear and 
stuck it in the ground. He also stuck in the ground an arrow. "Now," 
said he, "warriors, whosoever is going to do hard fighting will please 
rise and choose the weapon he wishes to fight with." The young man. 



THE RABBIT-BOY. Ill 

who was now known as the "Rabbit-Boy," arose and took the flint 
knife. He waited to see if somebody else would take the other weapons. 
None of them did, so the boy took up the spear and arrow. 

Among the warriors was a young man who was very poor. Rab- 
bit-Boy took a liking for him and gave him the spear. He told the 
young man to follow him wherever he should go. Rabbit-Boy then 
rose, and said : "Leader and warriors ! I shall go on ahead. I shall 
bring all the ponies belonging to the enemy. I shall hide them in a 
hollow." The leader said, "It is well." So the young man went and 
brought all the ponies from the village and hid them in a hollow. The 
young man came and told the leader that the ponies were safe. 

The next thing was to attack the enemy in their camp. Rabbit- 
Boy took his white clay, put it all over his body, put some rabbit-skins 
around his ankles, also upon his wrists, and then he put a whole skin 
around his neck, and the two feathers he put on his head to represent 
rabbit's ears. The only weapon that he had was the war-club that 
had been given to him by the Rabbit. Rabbit-Boy planned the attack. 
The warriors all crawled up to the village just before daylight, and as 
the sun was coming up in the east an old man came out of the village. 
He went around yelling for the people to wake and go after their 
ponies. As he passed in front of where the Rabbit-Boy was, Rabbit- 
Boy ran and struck the old man on the head and killed him. Then 
Rabbit-Boy went through the village. As he came to the center of the 
village he was just about to go by a big tipi, when out came a pretty 
young girl, who carried a hide-scraper and a robe. The girl saw 
the young man very plainly. She stopped and watched him. She 
wished that she might in some way assist him to get away. The people 
tried their best to kill Rabbit-Boy, but he escaped safe. He then went 
and joined the other warriors, for they had run away. They reached 
the ponies, which they divided, and then they went home. When they 
arrived the people told of the wonderful powers of Rabbit-Boy, and 
■ there was great rejoicing in his lodge. The people then recognized him 
as a great warrior. 

Three or four days afterwards the same party of warriors went to 
the same village. The boy went through the same movements, killing 
the first man that came out from the village, and as soon as the boy 
had done these things, the warriors became bold and fought the enemy. 

The enemy never charged their village for a long time. The 
young man was never known as Rabbit-Man in the enemy's camp. 
Every time he attacked the village he went through by way of the 
girl's tipi. Each time, the girl came out of the tipi. The girl met the 



112 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

boy. At one of these times when the boy had attacked the village and 
killed a man, he ran by the tipi and saw the girl. The girl cheered him. 
The boy went on. In another of these attacks, the boy saw the girl. 
He knew that she must like him. He went on through the village and 
home. 

The people in the boy's village had scalp dances where all the 
women took part. The young man seldom took part, but his sisters 
took part. One night when Rabbit-Boy was lying on his bed the 
women came. They took him out and made him dance. He danced 
several times. Four or five women became fond of him and tried to 
marry him, but he would pay no attention to them. While all this 
dancing was going on, the girl in the enemy's camp was making a 
pretty pair of moccasins, a pair of beaded bracelets and beaded arm- 
lets. She sent for a servant, a woman captive from the Arikara. The 
girl told the woman that she would help her to get back to her people 
if she would speak to a young man who was killing her people all the 
time. This servant woman said that she had no way of traveling. The 
girl said : "I shall give you two of my best ponies, and I want you to 
take these moccasins and bracelets to that young man, and tell him 
that he is a brave man ; that I want him very badly ; and that when he 
shall come to my tipi I shall have six tipi pegs drawn up on the north 
side of the tipi where my bed is ; that when he shall reach in his hand 
I will feel for the bracelet, and if I find it upon his wrist I shall know 
that it is he." So the girl took the servant woman out of the camp, 
caught two of her ponies, and they rode many miles. The girl then 
handed the bracelets, moccasins, and something to eat to the servant 
woman and told her to go to her people. The woman thanked 'the 
girl and went back to her people. 

She came to the village of the Arikara. In the night she went to 
the dances. She asked one woman where Rabbit-Boy was. It hap- 
pened that on this night the young man was dancing, so the woman 
went and danced with the young man, then whispered to him and told 
him that she wanted to see him. The young man thought that she 
wanted to marry him, but when they were away from the people the 
woman told Rabbit-Boy how the girl in the enemy's camp had helped 
her to get away ; that it was the girl who had her tipi in the center of 
the village every time he went through ; that the girl wanted him ; and 
that she had given him the moccasins and the bracelets for him to wear 
when he should go to her village. The young man said, "I will go." 
So the young man started that night. He traveled all the next day and 
the next night before he reached the enemy's camp. He went to the 



THE RABBIT-BOY. II3 

north side of the tipi. He felt for the pegs, and there were six of 
them drawn up. He then knew that the woman had told the truth. He 
put his hand in, and it was caught. The woman felt for the bracelet, 
and when she had found it she pulled Rabbit-Boy in. The young man 
crawled into the tipi and put his robe on top of hers, and crawled under 
it. There they lay together, although they could not talk. The young 
man stayed with the girl all night. In the morning, when the girl's 
father, who was chief of the tribe, woke up, he saw the things that the 
boy wore in battle hanging down from a tipi pole. He looked down 
and there he saw Rabbit-Boy in bed with his daughter. He made a 
big fire and sent for the warriors. The warriors came, preparing to 
kill the young man. There was one man who did not come with the 
rest, but when he came he told the people to disperse to their homes ; 
that although the young man had been killing their people, he, for one, 
was glad that he had come and married one of their girls ; that now 
he would not kill any more, but that he would lead their people out to 
the enemy's country and help kill the people. So the young man and 
the girl were told to rise and sit by the fire-place. The young man 
stayed in this village for several months. Now, the people at Rabbit- 
Boy's home thought that he had died. But the woman who had re- 
turned from captivity told them that he would be coming after a while 
and that she knew where he was. 

The old chief was much pleased to have Rabbit-Boy for a son- 
in-law, for now he would have scalps hanging on top of his tipi. The 
people got together one day and said they wanted to go on the war- 
path. The young man joined them. They went to his own country. 
The young man put his people at a certain place, while he himself went 
near to the village and found women who were working in their corn 
patches. There he found one woman whom the Arikara had captured 
from the people of his wife's tribe. Rabbit-Boy killed this woman, 
took her scalp, and took it back to the people of iher tribe. Then the 
people all went back to their camp and had war dances. The scalp 
was given to the old chief. He had it strung between his tipi poles, so 
the scalp hung high in the air. Every time a war-party went out this 
young man would go with it. He would manage to get the people to 
stay at a distance. He would then go to the fields, and whenever he 
found a captive from this tribe he would kill it, but he would not kill 
members of his own tribe. The young man led several war-parties, 
and always managed to kill captives, but never killed members of his 
own tribe. Finally the old chief asked that they might go to the young 
man's home. This they did. The young man's people gave him pres- 



114 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

ents for his wife's people. They then returned to their country. The 
Ankara visited them, and they made peace. They never made war 
on one another anv more. 



34. THE MAN AND THE WATER-DOGS.* 

Long ages ago there was a village with so many inhabitants that 
it had four medicine-lodges. There was one man who was so brave that 
his fame extended beyond the village. He committed some evil deeds 
among his own people, but his people were afraid to correct him. Thus 
he went on, committing more misdemeanors. He became so bad that 
the people undertook to take his life. They formed a plot to seize 
him. One family invited the man to a feast. When he entered the 
lodge many men gathered about the lodge and waited till he came out. 
The man came out and walked very slowly toward the river. He never 
paid no attention to the men nor even tried to fight back, but went on 
his way. Finally he stepped into the river, and some one cried out to 
the men to catch him, but it was too late. He sank down in the water 
and the people shouted for joy, because they thought he was drowned. 

The man walked on down on the bottom of the river and he saw 
there a tipi. From its door came a Dog, and the Dog called to the 
man to come in. He went in. and he saw many Dogs. The leader of 
the Dogs raised his head and said that he was not hurt and that they 
never would injure him. The leader showed much mercy toward the 
man and told him not to be afraid of any man ; and that if he should 
ever get hurt he was to come right to the water and the Dogs would 
be glad to receive him. So the man went out of the tipi and came up 
out of the water. When it was night he went to the village. 

He entered his house and saw his wife. He sat down and told her 
that he regarded as nothing all the wounds he had received from the 
men who tried to kill him. The woman was surprised, and was much 
afraid of him. The man ordered his wife to go after some tobacco 
from one of the councils that was being held in the village. She went 
at once and entered one of the councils. She asked the head men for 
some tobacco for her husband. The men were much agitated and 
afraid, so they gave her some tobacco. The woman returned and the 
man was much pleased. The men in the council decided to send a mes- 
senger to see if the man had returned. One young man went and 
peeped in and saw the man, all naked, sitting in his tipi. He returned 

♦Told by Strike-Enemy. 



THE FIVE TURTLES AND THE BUFFALO DANCE. II5 

to the council and told what he had seen. The men were more afraid. 
From that time on, the man committed worse crimes than before, yet 
the people were afraid to make another attempt to kill him. The man's 
relatives gathered with the woiman's relatives and they separated from 
the village, to return no more. They went in the night, and before 
morning they camped. Some young men and the famous one came to 
the village and killed a man and a woman. The people knew who it 
was and yet they did not dare to fight them. This was a separation 
where the people never meet again, which happened because the man 
did the bad deeds. 



35. THE FIVE TURTLES AND THE BUFFALO DANCE.* 

In olden times, while the people had their village upon the Missouri 
River, five soft-shell Turtles came out from the river and went into 
the village. The two on each side of the middle one received a bunch 
of eagle feathers on the head. They were placed with the fifth, which 
had black feathers. When this Turtle saw that its feathers were 
black, it was mad. It told the people that it was going away, and it 
marched back into the river. The people gave it smoke from their 
sacred pipes. The Turtle paid no attention to it, but went into the 
river, so there were but four left. These four Turtles were to remain 
with the people. 

These Turtles died. The people made them into drums. Some 
years afterwards they changed these drums into rawhide drums, 
making them in imitation of the Turtle drums. They organized a 
dance known as the "BuflFalo dance." These Turtles were drums. 
They danced four days and four nights, and although this was a 
Buffalo dance, there was one mysterious being in the crowd who had 
a bundh of feathers of the magpie growing up all over his head. 
Pieces of skins of animals were strapped over his back, and he had 
a buflfalo beard about his ankles, also about his waist. His face was 
painted with all colors. Sub eius inguinibus palus erat qui penem 
simulabat. Ex illo autem, dum saliebat et quasi equus acer hue et illuc 
currebat, palus semper pandebat. U'bicumque mulierem videbat, eam 
circumibat motusque dabat quasi cum ea concumberet. 

Now, in this village there was a young girl who was never pver- 
mitted to be out of the lodge while this Buffalo dance was going on 
and this being was dancing around. The girl asked her parents to 

♦Told by Yellow-Bear. 



Il6 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

place a buffalo rawhide in front of the lodge, over the entrance, that 
she might be permitted to peep out and look at the being. She be- 
came bold, and went out from behind the hide. She was seen by this 
being. Ille motus dedit quasi cum ea concumberet. Puella in domi- 
cilium rediit; posteaque per menses magis atque magis gravida fiebat. 
lam tandem puerum parit. Anum comitem habet, quse autem reperire 
non potest. The mother told them that tlie child had been born, 
so the people looked around with lights, trying to find the child. They 
looked everywhere, but could not find the child. After a while they 
found the child standing under the altar, grinning. The child looked 
to be about two years old, and had teeth. It walked about constantly, 
just as its father did, and was like him in appearance. Finitimi rep- 
perunt eam numquam virum cognovisse, sed ab eo monstro per eius 
motus gravidam factam esse. The people caught the child and killed 
it. They put it into a bag and threw the bag into the river. 

The father of the child heard about this. He went to another 
wonderful man who could see better in the night than in the day and 
asked him to help him find the child. The man consented. He took his 
medicines, put them upon himself and led the man to the very spot 
where he had danced and where he had made the motions. Then the 
medicine-man led the mysterious being into the lodge of the girl who 
had given birth to the child. He showed where the boy had been 
born, where he had run, where he had stood under the sacred bundle, 
how the people caught him and killed him, and how the people had 
taken him to the river and thrown him in. They went down to the 
river. The medicine-man took a big rock and told the strange being 
that when he should throw the rock irtto the waters, the waters 
would part, and that he must be quick to jump in and get the boy. 
The man threw the stone up into the air, and as it fell into the water, 
the waters parted, and they could see the boy lying there. The man 
jumped in and pulled him out. When the boy was pulled out the father 
cried, and said that he wanted this wonderful man to select a place 
to bury him, for he was a strange child. The man led this myster- 
ious being about the hill on the Missouri River, and there the man 
took his club, and striking the largest stone that the people knew of, 
he split it in two. They buried the child between the two stones, and 
then went home. The mysterious being then married the girl who 
had given birth to the mysterious little boy who, immediately after his 
birth, got to dancing and running around as his father had always 
done in dances. 



THE MAN WHO MARRIED A COYOTE. II/ 

36. THE NOTCHED STICK AND THE OLD WOMAN OF THE ISLAND.* 

When my people held the medicine-men's ceremonies, the lead- 
ing medicine-man, who sat in the west of the lodge, had a roll of 
dried buffalo hide and a long stick with notches upon it. The leaders 
of the medicine-men's lodge had sticks that they rubbed on this 
notched stick so that the dried bufifalo hide made a noise sounding 
something like that of a drum. When this noise was begun they be- 
gan to rattle the gourds. At the end of the ceremony of the medicine- 
men the lodges inside of the big lodge were taken down to the river, 
and the notched stick and the dried bufifalo hide were taken and placed 
upon an island. We were told not to go to the island ; but knowing 
the place, one man went, and he saw in place of the hide and stick 
an old woman sitting there. He saw her plainW. Her ears hung down 
with great, big cuts in them. She had a very long face. When he 
took a look at her she turned her nose up. He was scared and ran 
away towards the village. He met some other boys and told them 
about the old woman. They would not believe him, so they went 
back, and when they came to the island, sure enough, it was no 
longer the old woman, but the hide and stick. 

When the man went home he told his father all about it, and he 
said : "True, my son ; that is the reason that they put the objects upon 
the island, because really they are an old woman." Other boys also 
visited the island, and they saw the same old woman. When several 
went to the island another time, it was again a stick, 

37. THE MAN WHO MARRIED A COYOTE.f 

A long time ago there was a war-party that started out from the 
Ankara country toward the south. They were found by the enemy 
and attacked. One man was killed and the others all returned home. 
After many years this man who was killed rose from where he was 
lying, for he had not really been killed, but was simply stunned by 
falling onto hard ground. He had not been scalped. After this man 
came to, he wandered over the prairies and fell in with the Coyotes. 
He finally married a Coyote, and lived with her for several years. 

One day some men went hunting, and they saw a mysterious 
being crossing the Missouri River. The warriors went down and 

♦Told by White-Owl. 
tTold by Many-Fox. 



Il8 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

surrounded this mysterious being and caught him. He was not 
scalped, nor wounded, but he 'had changed his ways so that he could 
live with the Coyotes, and he was almost like an animal. The people 
begged him to go home, saying that his wife and children were well 
and that his wife was not married again. But he said: ''I know; but 
I cannot, for I am married." They took him notwithstanding, and 
they gave him medicines. He became well, and he entered the medi- 
cine-lodge. The man asked permission to do some sleight-of-hand, 
and the medicine-men gave him the privilege to do so. He took a 
man, went around the lodge and vomited up a lot of hair, white 
clay, and other things. After all this had come out of him he was 
cleansed from being a Coyote. He continued with the sleight-of- 
hand, and he told the people that he was going to call his wife ; that his 
wife was the one that he was afraid of, and this was the reason he 
had not returned home. So he went up onto the top of the lodge and 
shouted and shouted ; then he went around to the west and shouted ; 
then to the north and to the east ; then he came into the lodge, and 
said, "My wife is far away." He went out again and shouted to the 
northwest, and after a while the people heard the Coyotes away oflf. 
They kept coming nearer and nearer, and the people ran away. The 
Coyotes kept on coming, and the people ran into the lodge. The 
Coyote whom the man had married came into the lodge. When she 
entered the lodge she went around to the northeast of the fireplace, 
by way of the south, west, and north, and then to the northeast, and 
there she took her place. "This," said the man, "is my wife." The 
men called her names, saying: "You long-nosed thing! Why did you 
not come? Why do you run off so far away?" The leading medicine- 
man now arose. A pipe was given to him filled with native tobacco. 
He made some smoke to the Coyote woman. After the smoke the 
Coyote woman left the lodge and went off to join the other Coyotes. 
The people saw this female Coyote, and now knew that this man did 
have a Coyote woman. 

Many years afterwards this same man was roaming over the 
prairies, when a blizzard blew up. Just a little before sunset he 
came to a bank of snow, and there lay one of his baby Coyotes. He 
went to pick up the baby, but as he was so cold, he let the baby 
Coyote stay in the snow, and he went home. After he had warmed 
himself he w-ent out to see if the baby was still in the snow, but when 
he got there, there was no baby at all. 



THE MAN WHO TURNED INTO A STONE. II9 

38. THE MAN WHO TURNED INTO A STONE.* 

Once upon a time there was a big village on a prairie. In the 
village there was an old man who was respected by all. Because he 
was well known as a medicine-man he had one of the sacred bundles, 
and he used to call councils and many other meetings. If there was 
sacrifice to be offered to some of the gods it was brought before 
this old man, because the gods seemed always to make returns for all 
his offerings. For this reason, he was above all other medicine-men 
in the village. 

At one time a very large party went out from the village on a 
buffalo hunt. A few were left in the village. For many days one 
young man kept coming and reporting that the people were coming 
not very far away. The next day they saw them coming, but away in 
the distance. It was the custom for these people to go out to meet 
them before they reached the village, so many, including the old 
medicine-man, went out to meet them. The old man came to a hill, 
and there he sat down. The people traveled on foot in those days. 
As the party came to the old man they only saluted him. There was 
another custom of bringing some dried meat to some medicine-men, 
especially to this famous old man, and offering up sacrifices to the 
gods. This was the old man's reason for going up there. Finally 
most of them passed toward the village, but none of the young men 
had any dried meat to present to the old man for him to give thanks 
to his sacred bundle. They all passed, save one young man who came 
last. Wihen he saw the old man sitting there he saluted him and gave 
him a dried buffalo tongue. The old man did not seem thankful for 
it, but sat there with his head down. 

When they all reached the village they made many feasts, and 
councils were held in many places. The next day it was noticed that 
the old medicine-man was missing. They looked for him, but could 
not find him. One young man told that he had seen him sitting on 
the hill. So they went to the hill and asked the old man to come 
down, but he would not. One medicine-man took a sacred pipe from 
his bundle and offered it to the old man to smoke, so that he might 
forget his sorrows. The old man would not accept it, because, he said, 
it was too late. The people begged him to come, but still he sat there 
with his head cast downward. After a while he raised his head and 
said to all, that it was too late to get up, that he was to sit there 
always. He removed his blanket, and the people saw that his legs had 



•Told by Hawk. 



120 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

already turned to stone. The people all wept and went away. They 
came the next day, and they saw a rock in the form of a man, and 
they all cried again for the loss of the old medicine-man, because 
there had been no one to give him any dry meat to offer up as sacrifice 
to the gods. 

39. THE WOMAN WHO TURNED INTO A STONE.* 

In the village there was a nice-looking young woman, daughter 
of one of the chiefs. They all liked her and had much admiration 
for her. Many young men made great efforts to get the young girl 
to marry, but she would not consent. After many failures on the 
men's side the young woman's father tried to persuade her to marry 
some young man. After all their advice the young woman refused 
to marry. Again the old mother related to her daughter that it was 
most enjoyable to live with a man, to have a man to support her, to 
cherish her, and to protect her from all troubles. The young woman 
accepted the mother's advice at last, and she said she would marry. 

One young man, a very good hunter, came to the young girl, 
and after a long conversation persuaded her to promise that she 
would marry him. The young woman told her mother, and she was 
glad, and willing that her daughter should marry him ; for the young 
man was capable and qualified to support a family. Finally the young 
man was called, and came to their lodge. Puellam in matrimonium 
duxit. Cum nox esset, ad lectum genialem venerunt. luvenis gavisus 
est quod tandem puelte amore potiturus esset. Cum autem cum 
uxore sua concumbere conaretur, non poterat. Per noctem totam 
frustra conabatur. Postridie puella ad matrem venit, eique ostendit 
cur virum habere noluisset. Deinde tunicam sustulit ostenditque se 
helianthes pro volva habere. Mater autem vidit quo iuvenis helianthi 
nocuisset dum cum uxore concumbere conabatur. So the young woman 
took her bundle on her back, journeyed to a certain place, sat down and 
turned to stone, because she was ashamed. 

40. THE POWER OF THE BLOODY SCALPED-MAN.f 

There was a young man in the Arikara village who wanted to 
have some mysterious power. He went through the different places, 
over high mountains, and steep banks. He had heard of a place to 

•Told by Hawk. 
tTold by Antelope. 



THE POWER OF THE BLOODY SCALPED-MAN. 121 

the west of the village where young men had been scared away. He 
went to the place and stood upon a hill which was close to the Mis- 
souri River. He stood there for three days and nights, and during 
the third night he heard a mysterious noise from the Missouri River. 
He looked, and saw a man coming. The man approached, and said, 
"You will please leave at once, for you make too much noise around 
this place." The man had a war-club in his right hand. His body 
was daubed all over with white clay ; his head was red with blood 
and the blood was dripping from his forehead. The boy became 
scared, and he ran home. He told one of his friends what had hap- 
pened to him and his friend laughed at him for running away from 
the place where he had gone to get some power. 

The young man's friend made up his mind that he would go to 
the hill. He went to the hill, and there he stood and cried for three 
days and three nights. On the fourth night a being came up, and 
sure enough, it was the very same being that the first young man 
had seen. The boy became scared, but he closed his eyes and thought, 
"Well, I came here to see this being, and if he wants to kill me he can 
do so." The young man made up his mind not to run. He looked 
at the man as he approached. Drops of fresh blood were dripping 
from his head, so that he looked as if he had just been scalped. The 
young man closed his eyes and the man came up to him, and said, 
"If you do not run, I will hit you with this club!" The boy did not 
move, but the man did not strike him with his club. At last the man 
said : "Come with me. I am the errand man of the men who live 
under this hill." So the man took the boy down towards the Mis- 
souri River, and there, under the bank, was an entrance. They went 
into this entrance, and there they found a long passageway along 
which they traveled, and finally they came to a cave. There the men 
were seated around in a circle; but not one of them was scalped. 
The man who took the young man into this place now took off the 
headdress that he had on, and his hair fell over his shoulders. He 
placed his war-olub and the bloody headdress that he had had on his 
head, before the leading man. The man took his seat at the en- 
trance, and the young man was given a seat in the lodge. The leader 
of the men in the lodge said : "You are the first young man who 
has not run from our errand man, and now we will give you the 
power that we possess. When you want to perform the same thing 
that you saw that man do, take wild sage, put it on hot coals, and 
smoke yourself over your body. Then take this sweet grass and spread 



122 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

it all over yourself. Then take this pain.t and put it in the water 
and after putting this skin over your ihead, place this paint, mixed in 
water, on your head, so that you will look like a scalped-man. This 
war-club you shall take. This root you shall put into your mouth, 
so that you can run swiftly. When you have killed an enemy and 
taken his scalp, bring that scalp to us." The young man took the 
things and went home. The next morning, the people found a war- 
club hanging over the young man's head, and the young man was 
lying upon his bed. 

Many days after this there was a cry in the camp, "The enemy is 
coming to take the village !" The young man sent all the people out 
of his lodge, and told them to tell the people not to be in a certain path- 
way that 'he had to go through, for he wanted to go that way. The 
young man took up some coals from the fireplace and placed them 
west of the fireplace. On these he placed the sage, and let the smoke 
pass over his body. He took the white clay and put it all over his 
body. Then he twisted his hair, put the skin over his head, then took 
the red paint and put it in water. He dipped his hands into the water 
and put it on top of his head. He took the war-club and ran out of the 
lodge, and some of the people were scared when they saw him, for he 
looked like a man that had just been scalped. He ran to where the 
battle was going on, and the people saw him on the west side of the 
battlefield. He ran towards the enemy and killed one. He went 
around his own people, and went on the west side again and attacked 
the enemy, killing another one with his war-club. He scattered the 
enemy, because he looked so fierce on account of the blood which was 
dripping from his head. As soon as the enemy retreated and his 
people ran after them, he went back to his lodge, took the skin ofif from 
his head, put some medicine upon the fire and smoked all over his 
body. He then went to a creek and washed. He came back into his 
own lodge, and by this time the people had returned. The scalp 
which he had taken he put upon a long pole and placed it outside 
of the lodge. In the night he disappeared, for he went to the place 
where he had received his power. 

The people did not know who he was, but after several battles 
they found out. They also learned that he had great powers. He 
became a great man through attacking the enemy, for he had power 
to go out on the war-path and bring home many scalps. They were 
not really scalps, but were pieces of scalps which he had made himself. 
He would not be a chief, but became a great medicine-man. 



THE BOY WHO CARRIED A SCALPED-MAN INTO CAMP. I23 

41. THE BOY WHO CARRIED A SCALPED-MAN INTO CAMP * 

In olden times the Ankara went on the war-path. They came to a 
lake where they made their camp. In the night the enemy attacked 
them, and ran them into the lake, killing all the warriors and taking 
their scalps. 

Another party of brave warriors started out from the same 
village, and went on the war-path. As they journeyed towards the 
east they came near to the lake. There they made their camp. Among 
these last warriors was a very poor young man who had joined them. 
In the night the leader asked the young men to go after some water; 
but all the young men refused. The poor boy took up the vessels 
and went down to the lake. As he tried to dip the vessel into the 
water, some one spoke close by him, and said, "Go a little beyond 
and dip up water." The young man waded into the water, and as he 
was about to dip the water, again some one else spoke to him, and 
said: "Go beyond. Go further into the lake and get your water." 
The young man went on into the lake, and just as he was about to 
take up the water, again some one else spoke to him, and said, "Do not 
dip up the water there, but go further into the lake to dip it." The 
young man turne^d around, and said, "Who are you that speaks to me?" 
The man said : "I am the leader who took the young men out on the 
war-path. We ran into this lake and were killed, and we were all 
scalped. All around the edge of the lake the water is colored with 
our blood, and that is why I am telling you to go further into the lake 
to dip your water." About this time the moon appeared. The night 
was windy and cloudy, so that every once in a while the clouds passed 
over the moon and hid it. The boy looked around, and he saw sit- 
ting near him a man whose head was all bloody, and whose hands and 
feet had been cut off. He had been stabbed in several .places. 

So the boy dipped his water, and said to the Scalped-Man: "I 
want to carry you upon my back to where we are camped, for the 
people will not believe me when I tell them that you were killed." 
The Scalped-Man said, "Very well." So the poor boy sat down 
and put the dead man upon his back. The poor boy carried the dead 
man to where the other men were. The poor boy placed the Scalped- 
Man outside of the tipi. He went into the tipi with the water. 

After they had drunk the water, the poor boy told the story. 
He said that all the other warriors had been killed; that every one 
of thenn was scalped and was lying in the lake; that he had waded 

•Told by Standing-Bull. 



124 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

waist-deep into the water to get clean water. Some of the boys made 
fun of the poor boy and said that he had imagined all this. But the 
poor boy said, "If you do not believe me I am going to get one of them 
and bring him in here, and you will see that all I have said is true." 
They said, "All right." They did not believe the poor boy would 
go. But he did go out, and dragged the Scalped-Man to the entrance 
of the tipi. Old and young men crawled out and ran away. The 
poor boy laughed at them for being afraid of a dead man. The 
leader was the only one who stayed. The Scalped-Man told the 
leader not to be afraid ; that they would give them success, so that they 
might take revenge on the people who had killed them. So the men 
came into the tipi, but not till the poor boy had taken the dead man 
out. Then they all wanted to go home at once. They left the tipi 
and went on. The next day they found a hunter, an enemy. They 
lay low, and when he was within reach of them they shot him and 
killed him. Now the other young men wanted to go home, but the 
poor boy said, "Let us go on." They kept on. Each day they killed 
one or two of the enemy. When they had killed a number equal 
to the number in the lake the boy was satisfied. Then they returned 
home. The chiefs heard of the poor boy's bravery. They sent for him 
through their council, and they made of him a brave. So the poor 
boy became a brave man, and executed the orders of the chiefs. 



42. THE GIRL WHO WAS BLEST BY THE BUFFALO AND CORN * 

In one of the lodges in a village there stood a mother, and in her 
arms was a baby girl. It was about to rain and the mother wanted to 
bring in her corn and other things to keep them dry, but she did not 
know where to put the baby. In her excitement she forgot that there 
was a bed, and she laid the baby up on the buffalo skull at the altar, 
then went about her duties. The buffalo skull was thankful, because 
he thought the baby was given to him. He cried out, saying, "Hi ni, 
hi ni — you have pleased me, you have pleased me, giving me the 
baby." But Mother-Corn, who stood over the bufifalo skull, told him 
that the baby girl had not been given to him, but had been placed there 
for the buffalo skull and herself to watch while the mother was busy. 
The buffalo skull and Mother-Corn blessed and poured their mercy 
on the baby girl. After a while the mother came in and took the 
baby. The chill grew, and showed some signs of having power 

•Told by Hawk. 



FIGHT BETWEEN THE ARIKARA AND THE SNAKES. I25 

from some of the gods. She would eat no corn, squash, or anything, 
except chicken or duck. The girl grew to womanhood, and all the 
people respected and honored her. 

One time famine prevailed, and the people were in much distress. 
The medicine-men did all they could, but all in vain. Some came and 
talked to the woman, and she told them that it was an easy matter to 
give them aid. She advised all the people to open and clean their 
cellars. They did so. The people took out the little com they were 
saving for seed and gave it to the woman. Again she advised them 
to stand by their cellars until she had relieved them. So she went 
with a little corn, beans, and squash, and when she came to the first 
one she asked what things were usually kept in that cellar. The 
owner of the cellar gave his or her answer — such as, "Corn and 
beans were kept in this." The woman then would throw down the 
seeds in the cellar and tell them to cover them up. She did this to all 
the people's cellars, and they were all covered. She advised them 
not to open the cellars until at the end of four days. So the people 
waited, and after the fourth day they all opened their cellars and 
beheld the corn, beans, squash, and other things, which filled their 
cellars. The people were pleased and showed more respect and honor 
to Mother-Corn. Later, the woman did many other things for them. 



43. THE FIGHT BETWEEN THE ARIKARA AND THE SNAKES.* 

One summer the Arikara went out to hunt buffalo, deer, and ante- 
lope. On their way they saw by the path a pretty little snake. Some 
of the old people told the others to give presents to the snake, such 
as deer meat and moccasins. There were two foolish boys in the 
rear of the crowd, coming along on foot. When the foolish boys 
saw the pile of presents they wondered what it was for. They looked 
all around the pile, but could see nothing; but after a while they saw 
the little snake on top of the presents. The boys were mad, and 
said : "We are poor. We are living with these people and they do 
not give us anything, although they know that we need help, and 
here they have given these things to this little snake." "Let us kill 
it," said one of the boys. The other one said, "All right." So they 
killed the snake. The boys told the people that they had killed the 
snake. The people turned back from their hunt and went to their 
village, and they began to climb upon high arbors for refuge. From 
the top of the arbors they saw something coming down both sides of 

♦Told by Two-Hawks. 



126 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

the Missouri River. Soon they discovered that what they saw were 
all kinds of snakes. They were ready to meet the snakes, for they 
knew what they had done, and they were ready to die. They took 
their clubs and killed the snakes, althoug^h the snakes killed many of 
the Arikara. By and by the snakes killed one of the foolish boys. 
They bit the other boy all over, but he killed many oi them. After 
a while they went away, but they had killed many people, and all be- 
cause the foolish 'boys had killed the young snake. 

44. THE FIGHT BETWEEN THE ARIKARA AND THE BEARS.* 

There was a young man who had a beautiful wife, whom he 
loved. She had a garden in the woods where she went every day 
in the spring to hoe. Each morning, before starting to the garden, 
she prepared pemmican and dried meat to take with her. She took 
enough for two or three persons. Her husband noticed this. One 
day while she was preparing the meat he asked her why she w^as 
preparing so much, for he thought that she must have some of her 
relatives to help her in her garden. The woman made no reply. One 
day, as she went out to the garden, her husband secretly followed her. 
When her husband came to her garden he hid near by. He saw that 
the garden was well cared for, and he knew by this that some one 
had been helping her to clean it. The man waited a little while, and 
there came forth from the woods a man, who walked right over to 
the woman. The woman seemed glad to see this man who met her, 
and the man was glad to meet the woman. This strange man was 
painted, and upon his head were feathers, and a set of bear's claws 
were about his neck. The man went to work in the garden, helping the 
woman. The woman's husband lay upon the top of the hill, watching 
them. When the sun was high, the strange man and the woman 
stopped working. They went over in the shade of some trees, and 
they ate the meat that the woman had prepared. After eating, the 
strange man lay with the woman. The woman's husband saw all that 
went on. He slowly made his way toward the camp and went home. 
When he got home ihe took down his bow and arrows and began 
to fix the arrow-points and bow-string. In the meantime, the woman 
returned. She asked her husband where he was going, and he made 
reply that he was fixing up his bow and arrows to go hunting the next 
day. The man then asked his wife how she was getting along with 
the work in her garden, and she said she was nearly through. 

•Told by Two-Hawks. 



THE WIFE WHO MARRIED AN ELK. 12/ 

The next morning the woman got her meat and things ready to 
go to her garden again, and the man got ready to go hunting. The 
woman went first to her garden. The man went afterwards, in a differ- 
ent direction. After a while he circled around to his wife's garden. He 
got to the garden and lay down. He waited for the strange man to 
come. The woman sat around near her garden, doing nothing, for 
there was nothing to do ; she had already got through with her field. 
The man looked up and again he saw the strange man come from the 
timber and begin to talk to bis wife. They sat around until the sun 
was high. They again ate meat together, and after they had eaten, 
the strange man again lay with the woman. While they were lying 
together, the woman's husband came up from behind them, took an 
arrow, put it in the bow-string and pulled it. He shot the man. The 
man made a big groan, got on his feet, and ran through the timber. 

W'hen the woman got up, her husband got a stick and clubbed 
her. The woman said : "My husband, you should first have found out 
who that man was who was with me, before you shot him." Her hus- 
band said that he did not care who he was. The woman said that he 
was a Bear, and that was the reason she let him lie with her, for she 
was afraid of him. She said that the Bear told her that if anybody 
did anything to him while he was with her he would get all his people 
together and kill everybody in the Arikara camp. The man said he 
did not care. 

About three days afterwards the people saw what seemed to be 
buffalo in large droves, coming from the hills. When they came near 
the village the people found out that they were Bears instead of buffalo. 
The young man who had shot the Bear in the garden said to the peo- 
ple, "The Bears are coming to kill us, for I shot the Bear." The Bears 
soon reached the camp and tore the people to pieces, as many as they 
got hold of; but some of the people, who hid in their cellars, were 
saved. The Bears did not stop until they had killed the man who had 
shot the Bear. 

45. THE WIFE WHO MARRIED AN ELK* 

There was a man who went hunting with his wife. They were 
alone. Whenever the man was out hunting the woman would stay at 
the lodge and take care of all the things that the man had brought in, 
and she would also jerk meat. There she stayed, while her husband 
went out day after day. One time when her husband was gone a man 

•Told by Btanding-BuU. 



128 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

came to see her, but slie did not know who he was. One day five men 
came, and the fifth one she Hked best. He was fine-looking, and young. 
This fifth man asked her to go home with him. She hked him so much 
that slie did not feel like refusing him, so she went with him. 

When the husband returned he found that his wife was gone. He 
looked all around until at last he found their tracks. He ran along, 
following the tracks. The poor man was getting tired, but the more 
he thought of his wife the more he felt like following her, for he 
thought a great deal of her. He caught up with her, and to his great 
surprise he saw his wife walking beside an animal. The man ran and 
shot at the animal, but could not kill it. This animal was an Elk. Not 
far away was a lake, toward which the Elk and the woman were 
headed. The Elk and the woman went right into this lake. The man 
shot at the animal, but the arrows did not seem to harm the Elk. When 
the man came to the lake he remained there. He would think of going 
away, but when he thought of his wife he would stay. He cried and 
cried. He neither ate nor drank. 

At last the woman came out from the lake, for she felt sorry for 
her husband. She said : "You must go home, and whenever you start 
upon the war-path come to this place before you go and I will see you, 
and I will do anything to get out of this place so that I can tell you 
where to go, and if I can go with you I will do so." So the man went 
home, and when he got there, the people asked him what had become 
of his wife. He told the people what had happened to her. After 
many days, the man thought he would go on the war-path. He in- 
vited several young men, and they went out. When they were near the 
lake, the man told his companions to stay at a distance from the lake, 
while he went on by himself. The man had a dress for the woman. 
When he got to the lake she told him to go west ; that in a few days 
he would find three tipis; that there were three men living in the tipis, 
and that he should kill them ; and that he would capture all their 
ponies. The woman then disappeared. The man threw the dress into 
the lake and went back. The man then led the war-party to the west. 
In a few days they found the three tipis. They attacked them and 
killed the people in them. Their ponies they captured, so that it all 
came true, as the woman had said. Then they went home and had a 
great time dancing the scalp dance. 

The next time the man went on the war-path he took several 
young men with him, and he again visited the lake. This time the 
woman came out, and said : "My husband, I can never leave this lake 
any more. You must go to the west, and there you will find the enemy. 



THE DEEDS OF YOUNG EAGLE. I29 

In the fight you will see a woman who looks like me. Go to this woman 
and catch her. She will become your wife and be good to you." In 
a few days they found the enemy's camp. They attacked the village, 
and they fought. While they were fighting, this man saw the woman 
who looked just like his wife. He stopped fighting and went after the 
woman. He captured her and took her home with him. 

The man never went to the lake any more, but was happy with 
his new wife, for she looked very much like the woman who had gone 
into the lake with the Elk. 

46. THE FOUR GIRLS AND THE MOUNTAIN-LION * 

There were four girls who went to gather wood. While they were 
gathering wood they heard a Mountain-Lion coming, who said, "I 
want you girls for my wives." The girls ran to different wonderful 
beings for protection. Each wonderful being said, "I can not do any- 
thing for you, for the Mountain-Lion is more powerful than I." At 
last the girls came to a place where there was a man whose name was 
"Hair-^Cut-in-Notches." (His hair was so notched that one could see 
through the notches by looking at the side of his head.) The girls 
ran to this man, and said : "A Mountain-Lion is after us ! Save us !" 
Hair-Cut-in-Notches said, "Wliat shall I get if I save you?" The 
girls said, "We will live with you as your wives if you will save us." 
Hair-Cut-in-Notches said, "You will go into my lodge and stay there." 
Then he sang about his head and hair, for his hair was his arrows. 
When the Mountain-Lion came up Hair-Cut-in-Notches would make a 
motion toward his head, then to his bow, then shoot at the Mountain- 
Lion. Finally the Mountain-Lion dropped down, for he had killed it. 
Hair-Cut-in-Notches went into the lodge, and said : "You will now 
come out. Go to your homes. I shall not keep you here, for I am not 
a human being, but I am glad to have saved you from being killed by 
that animal." The four girls thanked the man and returned to their 
homes. 

47. THE DEEDS OF YOUNG EAGLE.f 

Many years ago the Ankara separated into two bands, one band 
going south, the other going north. But still the young men visited 
from one camp to the other. In the north village the leading chief had 
a daughter who had grown up to be a beautiful young woman. In the 

*Told by Little-Crow. 
tTold by Yellow-Bull. 



130 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

Other village the leading chief had a son who was handsome. The 
young man's name was Young-Eagle. The young girl's name was 
Yellow-Calf. 

When the north village visited the south village the north people 
told the south people about the chief's daughter, who was very pretty. 
When the south people visited the north village they told of the chief's 
son, who was very handsome, but who had never looked upon women 
with favor, for he had always kept himself in the lodge, not even hav- 
ing been on the war-path. W^hen he came out of his lodge everybody 
looked at him. 

Young-Eagle made up his mind to visit the north village to see 
the beautiful daughter of the chief. He told his sisters to make him 
several pairs of moccasins ; for he intended to go to the north village. 
Now, Yellow-Calf, in the north village, also made moccasins for her- 
self, for she had made up her mind that she would visit the south 
village and see the young man who was so handsome. 

One day Young-Eagle started for the north village. On the same 
day Yellow-Calf started for the south village. Now, between the two 
villages there was a high hill, and as Young-E^gle was climbing the hill 
on the south side Yellow-Calf was climbing the hill on the north side. 
They both saw each other as they reached the top of the hill and were 
greatly surprised to see each other. 

Young-Eagle asked Yellow-Calf where she was going, but she 
answered by asking where he was going. Finally the girl told him that 
she was going to the south village to see the man who was so hand- 
some. Young-Eagle said, "I am that young man, and I am going to 
see the young girl who is so beautiful, down here at the south village." 
They now knew that they were speaking of each other. 

They sat down and talked, and here they found out each other's 
mind. Young-Eagle wanted to know how many days it had taken Yel- 
low-Calf to come there. She told how many days it had taken, and 
Young-Eagle told Yellow-Calf how many days it had taken him. They 
knew by this that the hill was just half-way between the two villages. 
This hill is known at the present time as "Lovers' Hill," because these 
two people met here. They agreed to place a pile of rocks upon the 
hill, and each was to place on the pile a number of stones equal to the 
number of days it had taken to come to the place. First, Young-Eagle 
placed a stone, then Yellow-Calf placed one, then Young-Eagle placed 
another, and so on, until they had a pile of stones. Yellow-Calf told 
Young-Eagle that she wanted to go with him to his home. But Young- 
Eagle said, "No, I would rather go with you to your home." Yellow- 



THE DEEDS OF YOUNG-EAGLE. I3I 

Calf finally consented ; so they went on. Yellow-Calf was satisfied and 
happy, for this young man was handsome and had a quiver filled with 
arrows, and a bow. 

In the evening they came to a lake, and Young-Eagle told Yellow- 
Calf that they must take a swim and wash themselves ; that it was not 
right that they should go to the village without being washed. So 
Yellow-Calf went into the lake first and washed. When she came out, 
Young-Eagle, with his leggings and all his things on, waded into the 
water for some distance. He told Yellow-Calf to watch for him. He 
dived, and stayed a long time under the water. Towards evening, at 
dusk, Young-Eagle came out of the water, having all his clothes on. 
He came upon the bank, and Yellow-Calf saw that he was not the same 
young man who had left her a little while before. This young man 
now was not so tall, nor was he handsome. His hair was unkempt, 
his nose was all covered with sores, and he seemed to have vermin. 
The robe he had on was a 'little piece of buflFalo robe. His leggings 
were made of deer skin, but were very dry. His belly looked so large 
and plump that people would take him for a "burnt-belly" boy or a 
"burnt-fingered" boy. Yellow-Calf became scared, but she thought 
Young-Eagle was only making fun, so she took him home that night. 

Young-Eagle lay down by the side of Yellow-Calf, and the next 
morning, when the parents arose to prepare the meal, they went to the 
girl and found a young man lying by her. The old people, knowing 
that Yellow-Calf had been away for some time, thought, of course, that 
she had got married, and had brought her husband home. They waked 
the young man. He did not attempt to wash, but jumped at the pot 
with the food in it. and he licked the mush oflf from the spoon. The old 
folks looked at him, and were sorry that Yellow-Calf had brought him. 
Yellow-Calf, too, was ashamed of him. She prayed hard in her heart 
that the young man might turn into the young man that she had first 
been with. B'ut the young man remained the same and the people made 
fun of him. They called him the "Big-Belly-Boy." The boy acted 
childishly all the time. When there was a battle going on the boy never 
went out, but stayed around the lodge. 

One time the boy heard that a war-party was going out. He told 
the girl to tell her youngest brother that when the party should be out 
three davs he should get some long intestines from the bufifalo that 
the warriors would kill, and also some bones ; these he should put in 
the fire; and that in the night he would hear the whistling of a young 
eagle, and he must know that it was his brother-in-law coming. The 
girl told her youngest brother all that Young-Eagle had said, and the 



132 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

boy said that he would do so, only he was afraid that what she had 
told him would not come true; he did not believe that his brother-in- 
law would come. But the girl said. "Brother, watch out, and when he 
comes, do as he tells you, for he is wonderful." But the brother felt 
like making fun of his brother-in-law, Young-Eagle. It was announced 
through the camp that the Big-Belly-Boy was going on the war-path 
with the rest. They all laughed at him and made fun of him because 
he was going on the war-path for the first time. 

The warriors started out, and after they had been gone three days 
Young-Eagle took his wife out to the lake where he had dived once 
before, and there he told her to take a swim. The girl went in and 
washed. After she came up, Young-Eagle went in, just the same as he 
had done before, with leggings, moccasins, etc., and he waded into the 
lake, then he dived, and stayed a long time. At dusk, Yellow-Calf 
heard a noise in the water, and Young-Eagle came out, the same man 
that she had first met. Young-Eagle told her not to touch him, but to 
go home ; that he would come home soon ; and that she should watch 
for him. He sat down and covered himself with his robe. All at once 
the robe rattled, and there flew up a young Eagle. It flew towards 
the southwest, where the warriors had gone, and in the night, the 
brother-in-law heard the cry of an Eagle. He rose, and said, "That is 
my brother-in-law ; he has come." The other warriors who heard it 
made fun of him. and said, "Do you think that that Big-Belly-Boy 
brother would come this far?" But the boy did not say anything. He 
went out, and sure enough, there was his brother-in-law. 

The boy gave Young-Eagle the intestine to eat, and also some 
bones to gnaw. Young-Eagle told his brother-in-law that the enemy 
were within a short distance, and that he was going out to bring all the 
ponies that they had in the village ; and that he was to turn all the ponies 
over to him ; and that his brother-in-law should divide the ponies 
among the warriors. 

The leader of the war-party had sent out different scouts, but 
they had seen no enemy's village, nor any ponies. But every once in 
a while Young-Eagle would appear, and this brother-in-law of his 
would go to meet him. The warriors still doubted that they were 
brothers-in-law. 

The next day, when they saw a drove cf ponies coming towards 
them and Young-Eagle driving them afoot, they knew him. Young- 
Eagle's brother-in-law went out to meet him. Young-Eagle gave him 
all the ponies and told him to divide them among the people. Young- 
Eagle went back into the enemy's camp. He killed one man, took his 



THE DEEDS OF YOUNG-EAGLE. 133 

scalp, and gave it to his brother-in-law, who in turn g-ave it to the 
leader of the war-party. 

Young-Eagle went back to the village, and about this time the 
enemy were coming after him. Young-Eagle killed several more, tak- 
ing their scalps. He gave the scalps to his brother-in-law, who in turn 
gave them to the leader. They knew that the young man was brave. 
After the battle he went home as Young-Eagle. The others drove 
ponies. 

Young-Eagle went into his lodge where his wife was. He did not 
tell her what had happened. Two days afterward, the war-party came, 
singing scalp songs and telling all that Young-Eagle had done. Yellow- 
Calf's father sat upon the lodge, listening, and thought that they were 
making fun of his son-in-law. 

The warriors entered the lodge of the priests, and there they told 
the story, from the time they had left and from the time Young-Eagle 
overtook them, and the capturing of the ponies and the killing of the 
enemy. This was all true. Scalps were brought to Young-Eagle's 
lodge, and the old man put them upon a long pole, and stuck the pole 
in the ground outside of the entrance of his lodge. The ponies that 
were left over after dividing them up between the warriors were given 
to Yellow-Calf's father, who took only so many. Then Young-Eagle 
went out and gave the remainder of the ponies to the poor people. 

Some people went to the other village, and reported all that 
Young-Eagle had done, and the father of Young-Eagle was ashamed, 
for he thought they were making fun of him, for when Young-Eagle 
had been at home he would never go out on the war-path. He did not 
believe the story ; he believed the boy to be dead, for he had been away 
for some time. So all the sisters of Young-Eagle had cut their hair 
and mourned, as had also his father and mother. 

Every time a war-party came to attack the village Young-Eagle 
was there to save the village. Once in a while, when a war-party went 
out, Young-Eagle followed. He did the same as he had done before. 
On one of these occasions he made up his mind that he would go and 
get his own likeness; for, although he had changed once, when first 
he had gone on the war-path, he still retained his big belly. One 
evening he went with his wife to the lake. He went into the lake. 
Wfhen he came out he had on his fine leggings, a fine robe and a moun- 
tain-lion quiver, and he was fine-looking, with long hair. The girl 
was proud of him now. They went home. 

In a few days, Young-Eagle told Yellow-Calf to take all the 
scalps that he had taken, and saddle the ponies ; for they were going 



134 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

to visit his father's village. His father's name was "Black-Sun." 
They went south to Black-Sun's village. One evening they came to the 
village. Young-Eagle left his wife outside of the village, and went 
to his father's lodge. He told his father that he had come back. His 
father got up and made a fire. He told his woman to get up, for their 
son had come back. The four sisters got up from their beds and hugged 
their brother, for they had been mourning for him as dead. Young- 
Eagle told his sisters to go out and to bring their sister-in-law. They 
went out, and they found Yellow-Calf sitting outside of the lodge, 
holding three ponies. The girls embraced their sister-in-law and led 
her into the camp, took in the things that belonged to Young-Eagle 
and his wife, but led the ponies away. The stick with the scalps was 
fastened upon a long pole and stood up in front of the lodge. 

Early on the next morning, Black-Sun got up and went through 
the village singing scalp songs, thus letting the people know that his 
son had returned with many scalps. The people heard it. They went 
out, and they saw the pole that had the scalps upon it. The people 
rushed into the lodge, and that very same day the braves and warriors 
decided that this Young-Eagle should lead the people to the girl's 
village. 

So the peopk of the other village went north, and the north and 
south tribes of the Arikara came together and became one tribe again. 



48. THE GIRL WHO BECAME A WHIRLWIND.* 

Many, many years ago the Arikara left their village and went west 
on a bufifalo hunt. They left behind a family, the woman of which 
was leading a pony that dragged a travois with two children on it — a 
girl seven years old and a boy of five. As these people were crossing 
a little stream of water the pony jumped across the stream, and the 
children fell off. The woman, supposing the children still to be on the 
travois, never looked behind, and did not miss the children until she 
came into camp. 

The men were then sent back to try to find the children, but they 
could not be found ; for when they fell off. instead of following their 
parents they had gone back in the direction of their village, but instead 
of going into the village they had gone into the timber west of the 
village. There they wandered through the timber, and at last they 
came to a cave, where they stopped. The girl left the boy there while 

*Told by Many-Fox. 



THE GIRL WHO BECAME A WHIRLWIND. I35 

she went about trying to find something for him to eat. While the 
girl was gone, a Whirlwind came and took her far away. It was not 
long before the girl returned ; but often after that she would go away 
for days. When she returned she was always very happy. Now, the 
boy told his sister that he wanted a bow and arrows ; that he was all 
the time going around through the timber seeing rabbits and smaller 
game. The girl disappeared, and when she came back she had a bow 
and four blunt arrows. For many days the girl would disappear and 
then would return. One day the boy said : "My sister, I wander through 
the woods, and I am getting older; I think I ought to have a larger 
bow and many arrows." So the girl said, "All right." She went away, 
and when she came back she brought the bow and quiver filled with 
arrows for the boy. The boy was thankful for this. The girl dis- 
appeared very often. Every time she came home the boy would hear 
the storm coming, then, all at once, the girl would appear. 

One day when the boy was out hunting, an Owl came to him, and 
said : "We have taken pity upon you. We have an animals' lodge close 
by. We have taken pity upon you because your sister is now a won- 
derful being — a Whirlwind. She goes from one place to another, kill- 
ing people. She has planned to kill you, that she may be the Whirlwind 
always. She thinks that you are in her way, for she has to look after 
you. Now, the girl travels far over the land. She visits places where 
people have food, and there she finds bows and arrows, knives, axes, 
and hoes, and she brings them here to your place. Testes autem mori- 
bus excidit, domumque adfert ; eos frictos, dum dormis, dentibus fran- 
git et mandit. To-night when she comes home, stay awake, for she 
intends to kill you soon. You will find out what she eats." That 
night, when the boy lay down, he watched and waited for his sister. 
She came at last. She looked down and saw that her brother was 
sleeping, then she took some of her special meat and placed it upon hot 
coals, took it ofif and began to eat. When she got through eating, the 
boy arose and said, "Sister, I am glad you are back." She said, "Well, 
I am going away, far away from here to-morrow, and I want you to 
stay here until I come back." The next day the girl was gone. The 
Owl came to the boy, and said : "Make haste ! Come !" So the boy 
followed the Owl, and as they traveled along the Owl said : "Do you 
see that cloud coming? That is the Whirlwind coming to destroy you. 
Make haste and come with me!" They ran, and as the Whirlwind 
was near, the boy was taken into the den of the Owls. 

The Owls told the boy that when the Whirlwind should come it 
would make threats, but that they bad taken pity upon him and would 



136 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

keep him there ; but that there was something that this girl wanted, 
and they were going to tell him what it was. They said : "Your sister 
wants a woman. You tell her that the first woman you marry you 
will give her." So the Whirlwind came to the side of the hill where 
the Owl's den was. The wind blew and the girl spoke, and said : "You 
big Owl, turn that boy loose! He is mine! I must kill him!"' But 
the Owls would not turn the boy loose. They said, "He is here under 
our protection." The girl kept on demanding the boy. At last, the boy 
said, "My sister, if you will let me go, the first woman I marry I shall 
give to you." The girl said : "That is what I want ; I shall let you go." 
So the boy was turned loose, and traveled towards his people. 

When the boy came to his people, he saw that they were very poor. 
He entered his father's lodge and told his father that he had come 
back. His father arose and built a big fire. He saw the boy sitting 
there and recognized him. The father asked about the sister. The 
boy said that his sister was well, but that she was far away. Then the 
boy told his father to tell the chief to come to their lodge. The boy 
told the chief that he had come to tell them that the buflfalo were not 
very far away and that the people must go and kill these buflFalo. The 
people sent hunters out and they found the bufifalo as the boy had said 
they would. In a few days the enemy attacked this village, and they 
saw that the boy was a wonderful boy, for he made a way for his people 
to kill the enemy. The people cried through the village, and said that 
they should give him a nice young woman to marry. The chief's 
daughter was the one to be given to him. 

That night the boy went out and called for his sister. The sister 
came that night into the tipi and sat down by her brother, and said, 
"I have been far away." The boy said: "My sister, I am now to 
marry. Here is the girl that I promised you." The boy's sister said, 
"That is what I want." She went to the girl, and the sister and the 
boy's wife were together. The boy went out. The next day the 
brother came into the lodge, and his sister said : "My brother, I give 
you this club and this medicine, and I give you the power that I pos- 
sess — that of the Whirlwind. You will have power to kill the enemy. 
They will try to shoot you. but they can do you no harm. For many 
days I shall now go towards the southwest, where I shall always stay. 
When the wind comes you must know that I am the Whirlwind. I 
will listen to the prayers of our people. When I am coming do not 
let my people be afraid of me, for I shall always hear their prayers 
and shall always heed them. I shall not destroy them, but will always 
comfort them." The young man became a famous warrior, and finally 
became a chief. 



THE COYOTE AND THE MICE SUN DANCE. 1 3/ 

49. THE COYOTE AND THE MICE SUN DANCE.* 

While the Coyote was wandering in the evening he heard dancing, 
but he could not see the dance anywhere. He went on walking around 
and hunting for the dance. He was about to give up, when he found 
that the noise of the dancing came from an elk skull in the bushes. 

The Mice ran away as soon as the Coyote came up, but the Coyote 
begged to see them dance. He addressed them thus, "Uncles, I want 
to see you dance." The Mice said: "We are afraid of you, for you 
may eat us. We would like to see you, but you are very tricky, and you 
might eat us." The Coyote begged so hard, saying he had not seen his 
uncles for many months, and he wanted to see them ; so the Mice 
agreed to let him into the dance. They let the Coyote peep into the 
back part of the skull, so that he could see the dance. As soon as the 
Co}Ote had run his head through the skull the ]\f ice ran away, and the 
Coyote was held fast with his head in the skull. The Coyote begged 
the Mice to take the skull ofT, but the Mice would not listen to him. 
They told him to go away. So the Coyote went on his way, with the 
skull on his head. 

The Coyote could not see very well, on account of the skull being 
over his eyes. He heard some noises at a distance. He went straight 
to a camp. He came to the edge of some water. The people saw 
the animal coming on the other side of the water, and some of them 
hallooed, "A wonderful animal coming on the other side of the water !" 
When the Coyote saw that the people were scared he commenced to 
make funny noises. Some of the people said, "Make way, so that we 
may be spared and live." The Coyote said, "Give me the chief's daugh- 
ter and you shall all live." The people gave him the chief's daughter. 
The Coyote swam across the water and the people made a tipi for him. 
The girl took the Coyote by the horns and led him to the tipi. The 
Coyote stayed with the girl all night. In the morning the Coyote and 
the girl were sent for to come and eat. The Coyote was still close to 
the girl, and some boy saw that it was a Coyote. The boy yelled, "This 
being that is in the tipi with the girl is nothing but a Coyote!" The 
people rushed there and the Coyote was forced out beyond the tipi. 
As he could not see very well he ran into people and dogs. The people 
struck the skull until they broke it to pieces. They caught the Coyote 
and brought him home. They tied his legs with strings, drove some 
pegs into the ground, and tied him fast to the pegs. As the people went 
out they would go to the Coyote and urinate and defecate on him. 

•Told by Joe Reed. 



138 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

One old woman went out to defecate on the Coyote, and as she lifted 
her dress she wanted to know how she was to do it. The Coyote told 
the woman that the first thing to be done was to pull the pegs, then pull 
up her dress, then defecate on him. The Coyote took a long stick, and 
as the woman lifted her dress and tried to defecate on him he ran 
the stick into her rectum, then stuck the stick in the ground. He then 
ran away and defecated as he went. For this reason the Coyote defe- 
cates easily and is always running from the people. 



50. THE COYOTE BECOMES A BUFFALO.* 

The Coyote was going along when he saw an old bull sitting down 
on the side of a hill. The Coyote went up to him, and said, "Well, my 
grandfather, are you sitting here sunning yourself?" The bull said, 
"Yes." The Coyote said that he was hungry ; that he would like the 
Buffalo to give him something to eat. The Buffalo said, "Why are you 
not like myself, a big Buffalo, eating grass." The Coyote said, "Well, 
grandfather, I wish that you would make a Buffalo out of me." So 
the Buffalo said : "All right. You will then have to break up your 
bow and arrows, for you will need them no more." So the Buffalo 
placed the Coyote, and said, "Now you must keep a strong heart; do 
not get scared." The Buffalo rushed at the Coyote, and just as he was 
about to hook the Coyote, the Coyote jumped side wise. Then the Buf- 
falo said: "Why did you get scared? Now stay right at this place, 
and I will come and make a Buffalo out of you." But every time the 
Buft'alo ran toward him the Coyote would jump away. The last time 
the Coyote stayed, and as the Buffalo went up against him there were 
two Buffalo bulls. They locked horns, then the Buffalo told the 
Coyote-Buffalo to eat grass. The Coyote-Buffalo obeyed and ate until 
he was filled. Then the Buffalo said, "We must go to the Buffalo herd, 
for there is one bull there who has control of all the female Buffalo, 
and we will fight him, and when we have killed him we can have all 
the female Buffalo." So they went to the Buffalo herd. The Buffalo 
bull was going around among the Buffalo. They were waiting to 
fight him when it should come time. They fought, and they killed the 
Buffalo bull. 

Now each bull took many cows to look after. When they all came 
together they lay down in a hollow for the night. The next night 
the Buffalo all jumped and traveled toward the western country. 

•Told by Antelope. 



THE COYOTE RIDES THE BEAR. 139 

When the Coyote-Buffalo got up he saw that he had been left behind, 
all alone. He arose, but did not follow the other people. The Coyote- 
Buffalo came across a Coyote, and said: "Why are you not as I am? 
I was a Coyote once, but now I am a Buffalo." The Coyote-Buffalo 
told the Coyote to throw his bow and arrows away, for he was going 
to make him into a Buffalo. He set the Coyote in a certain place and 
made a rush at him. The Coyote jumped sidewise. Three times did 
the Coyote-Buffalo try to run into the Coyote, but every time the 
Coyote jumped sidewise. The last time, the Coyote-Buffalo said, "Now 
you must close your eyes and let me run over you." The Coyote 
obeyed and the Coyote-Buffalo ran into him, and there were two 
Coyotes instead of the Coyote-Buffalo and the Coyote. So the Coyote- 
Buffalo turned back into a Coyote. 

51. THE COYOTE AND THE ARTICHOKE * 

The Coyote was going along through thick timber. He saw an 
Artichoke plant, which he dug up. He asked it its name. The Arti- 
choke said, "Cososit," meaning artichoke. The Coyote wanted to know 
if he had any other name. The Artichoke said, "Take-a-Bite." When 
it said that, the Coyote took a bite. The Artichoke repeated this name 
four times, and every time it repeated it the Coyote took a bite of the 
Artichoke. Finally, the Coyote had eaten the Artichoke. 

The Coyote went on, and again and again he expelled flatus, mov- 
ing his feet each time. Every time he expelled flatus he seemed to grow 
worse. Once it threw him up in the air. Now, before expelling flatus, 
he got hold of a tree, and he said, "Now let me expel flatus." The 
flatus threw him up in the air, tree and all. Again he went on, and 
he came to a stone, and when he knew he was to expel flatus, he said, 
"Now let me expel flatus." This he did, and the stone went up with 
the Coyote. The stone fell on the Coyote and killed him. This is the 
reason we find coyotes lying beside stones. 

52. THE COYOTE RIDES THE BEAR.f 

The Coyote was going along through the timber, and he met a 
Bear. The Coyote made all kinds of threats against the Bear, and 
finally got on his back and rode him. All at once the Coyote jumped 
off and said, "You can go your way, and I will go mine !" The Coyote 

*Told by Cut-Arm. 
tTold by Antelope. 



140 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

went up on the top of a hill, to see if the Bear was still going, but he 
did not see him. Then the Coyote yelled, and said, "You Bear, you 
claim to be a fierce animal, and here I have ridden upon vour back!" 
The Bear, hearing this, became mad. He turned around, and said : "I 
will kill that being, whoever he is. No matter where he goes, I will 
follow him." So the Bear ran up the hill, and when the Coyote saw 
the Bear coming he ran. The Bear caught up with the Coyote on the 
next hill, and killed the Coyote and tore him up. 



53. THE COYOTE RIDES THE BUFFALO.=^ 

There was a village, and in the village lived one young girl who 
was very pretty. All the young men courted her, but she did not care 
to marry. A Buffalo came who wanted to marry her. Once in a while 
he would turn into a young man, nicely dressed and smelling very fine. 
The girl became very much attached to the Buffalo. 

The Coyote came to visit the girl, and he talked to her. The girl 
said she did not care to talk to anybody now, because she had a young 
man, and that young man was the Buffalo. The Coyote said : "Why, 
that Buffalo is my horse. I ride him." The girl said, "If you will 
ride that Buffalo here I will marry you." The Coyote went home, took 
a club and hit himself very hard on the knee, so as to make it sore. 
The Buffalo came to the girl to talk with her. The girl told the Buffalo 
what the Coyote had said. The Buffalo was mad, and said, "I am going 
to bring the Coyote here and kill him." The Buffalo pawed the ground 
and threw up the dirt. The Coyote saw the Buffalo coming. The 
Buffalo called to the Coyote to come out. He said : "T want you to go 
with me to the girl's tipi ; I am to kill you." The Coyote said, "I am a 
cripple, I can not go." "It is not true," said the Buffalo. "Come out, 
uncle, can't you? Come on." Said the Coyote, "If you want me to go, 
and can carry me to the girl's tipi, I will go." The Buffalo agreed to 
carry the Coyote. The Buffalo got down on his knees and the Coyote 
got on top of him and sat upon him. The Coyote had a cane that he 
was to hit the Buffalo with. 

The Coyote jumped up and ran back to the village and married 
the girl. The Buffalo was so ashamed that he never came back to 
the village. For this reason, the descendants of the Coyote are bad and 
tricky. By foul means, they marr>'. 

♦Told by Cut-Arm. 



THE COYOTE AND THE BUFFALO RUN A RACE. I4I 

54. THE COYOTE AND THE BUFFALO RUN A RACE.* 

Once when a Coyote was sauntering along he looked up and saw a 
Buffalo a long distance off. The Coyote ran, and nearly caught up with 
the Buffalo. The Coyote saw the Buffalo drop chips. He went and 
ate some of them. The Buffalo looked around and saw the Coyote eat- 
ing the chips. The Buffalo turned back and asked the Coyote what he 
was doing. The Coyote said: "O, you shaggy-ilooking thing; why 
do you not go on your way and not bother a poor fellow like me? I 
am eating some pemmican that some fellow must have dropped." 
After a while, the Coyote said, "Say, grandfather, can you run?" 
"Yes," said the Buffalo, "I can run fast." "But," said the Coyote, "I 
do not see how you can run with such big feet. Then there is danger 
of your breaking your legs. Ah, grandfather," said the Coyote, "I 
think I can beat you. I am a man who has fought in battles, and have 
killed many people on account of my swiftness. If you are willing 
to run with me, do not stand there and laugh at me. I can beat you." 
So the Buffalo said, "If you want to run a race, I will run with you, 
and I will show you that my legs can carry me a long way and beat 
you." "All right," said the Coyote, "I will go and measure the ground, 
and we will run." So the Coyote went away and selected a place. The 
place selected was a tableland, and there was a steep bank at the other 
end. The Coyote set landmarks near the steep bank and winked to 
himself, and said, "Now I will have a whole buffalo to eat," for at the 
bottom of 'this steep place there was a rock. The Coyote went where 
the Buffalo stood, and said : "Now we will run. As soon as we 
get to the two landmarks I have made we will run fast. At this place 
we will close our eyes. When we have gone a short distance we will 
open our eyes and see who is in the lead." The Buffalo agreed. They 
began the race, and as they came to the landmarks, the Coyote said, 
"Now run your best and close your eyes." The Coyote, being on the 
right side of the Buffalo, closed his left eye. The Buffalo ran with his 
eyes closed and jumped over the steep bank. The Coyote stopped, 
looked, and saw the Buffalo lying dead at the bottom of the steep bank. 

The Coyote went down and skinned the Buffalo and cut him up. 
He then took the meat to a place where there was a creek, and there he 
put up a small lodge for himself. He made a fire and roasted some 
meat. Then he went out to see if he could see any one. He saw a 
Fox coming along. He waited for the Fox. When the Fox came up, 

•Told by New-Man. 



142 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

the Coyote said, "My friend, I want you to come to my lodge and pack 
water for me." The Fox said, "I will go with you and pack water for 
you." So they went together and entered the lodge. The Coyote fixed 
the buffalo pouch for a bucket, and said, "Fox, you go after water with 
this pouch." The Fox obeyed. Before he got to the creek he had 
eaten up the pouch. Four times the Coyote gave the Fox a pouch to 
bring water, and every time the Fox would say, "Coyote, as I dipped 
water, something came and took away my pouch." The Coyote was 
mad, and he took some coals and threw them into the Fox's face, so 
that the Fox cried and ran off. The Fox told his story to every 
animal he met. All the living animals got together, and when the 
Coyote was fast asleep they went in and ate all he had in his lodge. 
When 'he woke up he found all his meat gone, and he went away crying. 
When you have plenty, do not trust your friends, or they will get 
all you have. 

55. THE COYOTE AND THE DANCING CORN.* 

Two Coyotes were going along, and as they became hungry one 
of them said : "Let us go where the people have left their village. We 
will find some pounded corn." As they came to the village they sep- 
arated, one going through many lodges, while the other went another 
way. The leader came to a lodge, and there he saw pounded corn, in 
lumps, running into the mortar. The Coyote ran into the lodge and 
begged the lumps of pounded corn to come out, saying that he was 
an old man who sang for people in their sacred ceremonies. The 
Coyote walked around the fireplace and began to sing. The lumps 
of pounded corn came out and danced. The lumps began to dance 
with the Coyote. "Close your eyes," said the Coyote. The lumps had 
danced so hard that they had raised a dust, and the Coyote thought 
it was time to act. So he ran to the mortar, stuck his head into the 
bowl, and became fast. After a time the brother of the Coyote came, and 
said, "Wa. what are you doing?" The captive Coyote said : "I am fast, 
but I have lots to eat in this bowl. Take an axe and cut the bowl open," 
The other Coyote took the axe and chopped the mortar open, cutting 
the other Coyote on the head so that he died. There was nothing in 
the mortar. The Coyote went away crying, for he had killed his brother. 

*Told by I.ittle-Crow. 



THE COYOTE AND THE STONE RUN A RACE. I43 
56. THE COYOTE AND THE TURTLE RUN A RACE.* 

One time a Coyote met a Turtle. The Coyote began to boast of 
his swiftness, and the Turtle said, "Why, I can beat you running!" 
So the Coyote said, "We will run a race to-morrow." That night 
they parted, and went to their homes, so that they could get ready for 
the race the next morning. After the Turtle reached home he began 
to worry, and he could not get to sleep, for he knew that the Coyote 
could run fast. But the Turtle said to himself: "I will take him up 
there and go to the other Turtles, and ask them to assist me." So the 
Turtle went to the other Turtles, and said : "I am about to run a race 
with the Coyote. I want you to help me." He told them the place 
where they were to run, and the distance they were to run. So several 
Turtles volunteered to go and help the Turtle to beat the Coyote. 

All the Turtles went to the place. They placed one Turtle at the 
end of the course ; then they placed another one at a certain distance 
back of him ; then another back of this one, and so on, and finally the 
Turtle himself took his stand. Each Turtle carried a long pole, and 
hid in the ground. 

The next morning the Turtle met the Coyote. The Coyote began 
to run around and was happy, for he thought that he was going to beat 
the Turtle. The Turtle and the Coyote got ready to start. The Turtle 
gave the command to start. The Coyote ran and the Turtle crawled 
into his 'hole. When he got over a httle ridge the Coyote saw the 
Turtle going ahead of him. Coyote ran and caught up with die Turtle. 
The Turtle threw his pole away and crawled into the ground. When 
the Coyote got to another knoll, there was the Turtle ahead of him 
again. The Coyote caught up with him. The Turtle crawled into the 
ground. The Coyote ran, and when he got up to another hill, there 
was the Turtle going ahead. The Coyote caught up with and passed 
him. At the end, the Turtle was at the goal, and the Coyote got up, 
and said, "You have beaten me." This fine stretch of running killed 
the Coyote. 

Sr. THE COYOTE AND THE STONE RUN A RACE.f 

The Coyote went up on a high hill, and there he saw a stone. The 
Coyote asked of the stone its name. The Stone said. "Run-Fast." 
"A good name," said the Coyote, "but I can beat you running." The 
stone said, "You will spoil my rest, but if you want to race I will run 

*Told by Standing-Bull. 
tTold by Cut-Arm. 



144 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

with you." The Coyote said, "All right, I want to race with you." 
So the Stone told the Coyote to carry him to the top of the hill. The 
Coyote placed the Stone upon the hill and started him rolling down 
the hill. For a time the Coyote ran along side of him, then passed him. 
The Stone ran down the hill and caught up with the Coyote, and rolled 
upon his back. The Coyote then tried to shake off the Stone, telling 
him that he had beaten him and begging him to get oflf his back. But 
the Stone stayed upon the Coyote's back. As the Coyote walked along 
the Stone grew heavier. It was now towards evening, and as the Coyote 
walked along he saw the Bull-Bats fly overhead. He told them to fly 
lower; that he had something to tell them. The Bull-Bats flew down. 
The Coyote told them that the Stone had been calling them names. He 
said : "When I told the Stone that I would tell \ou he jumped up on my 
back so that I could not tell you." The Bull-Bats said, "We will take 
the Stone off." So the Bull-Bats flew up high in the air, then came 
down with a swoop, making a peculiar noise upon the stone and crack- 
ing the Stone. The Bull-Bats kept on flying towards the Stone, until 
the Stone split in two. 

After the Stone had fallen from the Coyote, the Coyote ran along 
making fun of the Bull-Bats, calling them names. He said, "You 
spoiled my hair by scattering some of these stones upon my back." 
The Bull-Bats told the Coyote to go his way and they would go theirs. 
They separated. 

58. THE COYOTE AND THE ROLLING STONE.* 

The Coyote was once going along, and he became hungry. He 
heard a noise in the distance which sounded like dancing. He went 
to the place from where the noise came and there were some men danc- 
ing around the fire. When he came close to the place he saw that these 
men were Jack-Rabbits and that they had taken out intestines from the 
fire. One took them out, and they began to eat them. The Coyote 
asked them where they got the intesitines. The Rabbit men told the 
Coyote that they would not tell him. The Coyote was very hungry, 
and he wanted very much to find out. He made all kinds of promises 
to the Rabbits, if they would only tell him, and if they demanded pay 
he promised that he would pay them. The leader of the Rabbit men 
said, "If you will pay us a good price we will teach you how the big 
intestines are made." The Coyote was willing to pay them. He stood 
up, and said: "Grandchildren. I have been very far away, on the war- 

•Told by Two-Hawkg. 



THE COYOTE AND THE ROLLING STONE. 145 

path. You can see that I am a warrior by this headdress that I have 
on ; but, to know the secret of making these intestines I am wilhng to 
part with this eagle war-bonnet." The Rabbits told the Coyote to go and 
get some red willows. The Coyote went and brought a few red willows, 
and these the Rabbits threw into the fire. Then they began to sing 
a song, and all the Rabbits stood up and danced around the fire. As 
the willows burned they turned slowly into large buflfalo intestines. 
When these were roasted on the coals the Rabbits told the Coyote to 
take the intestines off from the coals and eat them. The Coyote took 
the long intestines, and they were so good that he asked the Rabbits 
to do the same thing again, for he was still hungry. The Rabbits told 
the Coyote to get a good armful of willows. When they were brought 
and placed upon the fire all the Rabbits stood up, and the Coyote was 
among them. They danced around, and as the willows burned they 
turned into large intestines. As each intestine was roasted the Coyote 
went and pulled it off the fire. The Rabbits had been eating these 
things, so they did not care for any. The Coyote ate them all, and 
was filled. 

The Coyote then began to look around to see how he might get 
back his war-bonnet ; for he thought he now knew the secret of making 
these long intestines on the coals. He said to the Rabbits : "Let me 
take this war-bonnet, and let me show you how it must set upon the 
head ; let me show you how I wear it." The leader of the Rabbits said : 
"We are afraid of you ; you are tricky, and you might get away with 
it." The Coyote said : "I wall not get away with it. All that 
I want is to show you the way it must be worn." "Well," said the 
leader, "you may have it, and show us how you wear the bonnet." 
As the Coyote put the war-bonnet upon his head he made a long jump 
sidewise, and got away from the Rabbits. The Rabbits got after the 
Coyote, but he was too swift for them. The Rabbits said : "You can 
go ; you will not be able to do the trick four times." The Coyote turned 
around and laughed at the Rabbits. 

The Coyote ran far away, and as he was becoming hungry he made 
a fire, gathered some red willows, threw them into the fire, and danced 
around the fire all alone. He succeeded in making the buffalo intestines. 
He did it again, but the third time it began to fail. The fourth time 
the red willows burned up into ashes. They did not turn into intestines 
for him. The Coyote began to cry, for he knew that now he must 
go hungry. He went along, and after a while he began to have the 
stomach ache. Deinde ventrem facere volebat, et, loco idoneo reperto, 
insedit. Dum defaecabat leporem circumcursantem vidit, undeque esset 



146 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

miratus est. Quo magis defaecavit. eo plures lepores vidit. Turn se 
lepores emittere repperit. Paulum cunctatus, dixit: "Cogitem quo 
modo hos lepores prehendere possim." Nam lepores occidere volebat. 
Itaque pulchrum pallium quod armis trahebat sibi humi sedenti cir- 
cumposuit. Hoc saxis gravibus onerato, iterum defaecare incipit. 
Usque ad vesperum defaecabat ; tandemque exortus locum pallio 
operuit, eique saxum imposuit. Deinde ingentem stipitem nactus, le- 
pores quos sub pallio esse putabat occidit. Pallio autem remoto, nihil 
nisi excrementum repperit. Quod cum vidisset, se dixit stultissi- 
mum esse. 

The Coyote did not know what to do with the robe. He got hold of 
the robe and dragged it along until he came to a big Stone. He said 
to the Stone : "I am going to make you a present of this robe." The 
Stone was pleased with the robe. The Coyote went away. When the 
Coyote was a little way off he saw a big hail-storm coming. He had 
nothing to cover himself with. He turned and went back to the place 
where the robe was. When he got to the robe it was clean, and it 
smelled good. The Coyote said to the Stone : "O, you have made the 
robe nice and clean. I came after it." The Stone never said a word, and 
the Coyote stepped over and took his rol^e again. He went on. The 
storm never came near the Coyote. Soon he heard something coming 
behind him. He did not pay any attention to what he heard. By and 
by he looked back and saw the great, big Stone coming toward him. 
The Stone spoke to him. and said, "You, Coyote, stop !" This scared 
the Coyote very badly, for he knew that he would be killed for taking 
the robe back. The Stone chased the Coyote all the evening, and the 
Coyote became very tired and was about to give out, when he saw 
two Bull-Bats flying around in the air. He called to them, and said, 
"My brothers, this big Stone is after me and wants to kill me." The 
Bull-Bats asked the Coyote why the Stone was chasing him. The Stone 
then spoke up and told the Bull-Bats not to believe anything that the 
Coyote might tell them. The Coyote begged the Bull-Bats, and said 
that the Stone had said something bad about the Bull-Bats ; that the 
Stone was afraid that he would tell the BuM-Bats about it : and that 
was why the Stone was mad and ran after him and was trying to kill 
him ; that he wanted them to help him by destroying the Stone. He said : 
"If you will stop the Stone I will change the color on your wings and 
tail." The Bull-Bats said : "We will destroy the Stone, but you must 
first tell us what the Stone said about us, and what names he called us." 
The Coyote said : "The Stone said that you were the ugliest-looking 
birds that he ever saw, because you have short beaks and big mouths, 



THE COYOTE AND THE ROLLING STONE. 147 

short legs, and are very dirty." The Bull-Bats and the Coyote were 
talking on the top of a hill, and the Stone was trying to climb the hill, 
but could not get to the top. 

After the Bull-Bats had accepted the Coyote's word, one flew up, 
and when he came down, he expelled flatus upon the Stone and it burst 
in two. Another Bull-Bat split the Stone again, and soon they had it 
all broken up. (It is claimed by the people that there was no stone in 
the world except this big stone; and when the Bull-Bats broke the 
stone it scattered all over the world.) The Coyote was saved. He 
got some white clay and put it on the top of the Bull-Bats' heads and 
bodies. The Coyote went on his way, happy. 



59. THE COYOTE AND THE ROLLING STONE.* 

One time when the Coyote was going along he met a Rabbit. 
The Coyote said to the Rabbit: "Let us gamble to-night. Let us 
gather dry limbs and make a big fire, that we may look at one another, 
and the one who goes to sleep first is to be covered by the other." The 
Rabbit agreed to this. So the Coyote and the Rabbit gathered a lot 
of dried limbs and made a big fire. The Coyote sat on one side and 
the Rabbit on the other side of the fire, so that they both looked at 
one another. The Rabbit went to sleep, but he had his eyes wide open. 
Every time the Coyote looked at the Rabbit he saw that his eyes were 
wide open, but all this time the Rabbit was asleep. By morning the 
Coyote went to sleep. The Rabbit went over and covered him and 
then went his way. 

The Coyote woke up and was very mad. Profectus, ventrem facere 
volebat. Dum defsecavit, multos lepores parvos emisit, qui autem ex- 
templo evanuerunt. Idcirco viatus est. Itaque pallium suum de- 
posuit, ut, cum defsecavisset, eo lepores prehendere posset. Cum igitur 
in pallio defsecavisset, se lepores eo prehendisse arbitratus, pallium 
stipite iterum atque iterum feriebat. Cum autem pallium aperuisset, 
nihil nisi excrementum repperit. He dragged the robe along and 
gave it to a Stone that was lying near by. When the Coyote turned 
around to look at the robe that he had given to the Stone, he saw that 
it was clean and white. So he went and took the robe, and as he 
dragged it away from the Stone he found that it was as before. Again 
he gave the robe to the Stone, and said : "It is yours ; I did not mean 
to take it." The Coyote started off again, but he looked back and he 

*Told by Cut-Arm. 



148 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

saw that the robe was all painted in colors and was very beautiful. 
He went and pulled on it to take it away, and again it was as at first, 
Four times the Coyote gave the robe back to the Stone, and four times 
he took it away from the Stone. 

At 'last the Stone moved, for it was angry, and the Stone ran after 
the Coyote. The Coyote ran down a hill, crying: "Father and mother 
Bull-Bats, this Stone that is running after me called you names ! I 
told him that I would tell you Bull-Bats, and now he is trying to kill 
me !" The Bull-Bats told the Coyote to climb up a tree, where the 
young Bull-Bats were. The Bull-Bats expelled flatus on the Stone and 
broke it all to pieces. The Bull-Bats, as soon as the Stone was broken 
to pieces, flew up high in the sky, and when they were gone the Coyote 
saw the young ones in their nest and ate them up ; then he came down 
from the tree. The Bull-Bats missed their young ones and they knew 
that it must have been the Coyote who had eaten them, for they heard 
the young ones crying in the Coyote's belly. They were mad, and they 
expelled flatus on the Coyote and killed him. 

Because the Coyote is up to all kinds of mischief he is often killed, 
and this is why we so often find a dead Coyote on the prairies. 



60. HOW THE SCALPED-MAN LOST HIS WIFE.* 

One time the women went into the timber to gather some grapes. 
One of the girls went far. She saw some grapes away up in a tree, 
so she climbed the tree to get them. While she was up there, a Scalped- 
Man found her. The woman cried for help, but the other women had 
already gone home. The woman came down from the tree and went 
with the Scalped-Man to his den. But before getting to the den, they 
had to cross a creek. Before they crossed the creek, the girl said, "Now, 
if you will just go in and swim and wash your head, then I will be your 
wife and will not be afraid of you." The girl made the Scalped-Man 
dive many times, and while he was diving she ran away and came to 
a grapevine, and crawled under it. 

When the Scalped-Man came out from the water the girl was 
missing. He followed her tracks to the grapevine, and he said, "You 
are to come out from there !" But the girl said nothing. After a while 
he went on. He kept going through the timber back and forth, until 
at last he gave up. The woman got out from the place, and ran home. 
She told her people about the Scalped-Man. 

♦Told by Many-Fox. 



THE GENEROUS SCALPED-MAN AND HIS BETRAYER. 149 
61. THE GENEROUS SCALPED-MAN AND HIS BETRAYER.* 

There was a man from an Arikara village who went hunting, 
going west from the village. He saw some antelope in a valley. He 
crawled up to them, and just as he was about to shoot he saw one 
antelope hold its head up, so that the man knew that it must have seen 
something. A mysterious being jumped up by the antelope, and before 
the antelope had time to jump the being had struck it and killed it. 
This being, who was a Scalped-Man, walked around the antelope, then 
took it by the legs, swung it upon his back and carried it off towards 
the Bad Lands. The hunter followed. The Scalped-Man came to a 
steep bank. He entered the bank and disappeared. The man kept his 
eye on the place where the Scalped-Man had disappeared. He came 
to the bank, looked in, and saw that there was a door, made of willows 
sewed together with sinew. Mud had been put over it and there was a 
root sticking out for a handle. By catching hold of the root the door 
was opened. The man went in and closed the door. Then he went in 
further, where the cave was, and there he saw the Scalped- A^Tan sitting 
down by the fireplace. The antelope was lying by the entrance and the 
Scalped-Man was sitting down waiting, for he knew that the man was 
coming. The man spoke to the Scalped-Man, and said : "Why do you 
hold your head down ? Speak ! I am here. I am not afraid of you." 
The man kept talking to the Scalped-Man until the Scalped-Man be- 
came friendly, then the man sat down. The Scalped-Man began to cut 
the meat. The man staved with the Scalped-iMan four days and nights. 

The Scalped-Man told the man that he knew the country all around, 
and that he took long journeys into the enemy's country and had killed 
many enemies ; that if he would keep his secret of his living in the 
Bad Lands he would help him to become a great man like himself. The 
man promised, so the Scalped-Man told the man to remain in his cave 
v\^hile he should go off to the enemy's country. The Scalped-Man went 
off, and was gone for several days. When he came back he took the 
man out of his den and told him that he had brought several ponies 
for him. The ponies were in a valley. The man thanked the Scalped- 
Man. He took the ponies home. The people were surprised to see the 
man coming with the ponies, for he had not been on the war-path, but 
had been out hunting, as they thought. The man stayed in the village 
several days, then he went out again. 

The man went to the Scalped-Man's cave. The Scalped-Man 
asked him what he wanted. The man told him that he wanted many 

*Told by Blk. 



150 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

ponies. The Scalped-Man told him to remain in his cave ; that he him- 
self was going out into the enemy's country. The Scalped-Man dis- 
appeared and in a few days returned. He gave the man all the ponies 
he had brought from the enemy's country. The man now thanked 
the Scalped-Man and drove the ponies to the village. The people knew 
that the man had gone off alone on the war-path, and now they were 
glad to see him bring many ponies. The people did not know that the 
Scalped-Man had helped this man. 

When the man had been home with the ponies for several days he 
again started on the war-path. He went to the home of the Scalped- 
Man and told him that he wanted scalps. The man stayed right in tlie 
Scalped-Man's cave when he received the scalps. He fixed them on 
sticks. The man now returned to his village, singing war songs. The 
people heard the songs and knew that he must have killed the enemy. 
When they went out to meet him, sure enough, he had several scalps 
hung upon poles. There were dances all through the village on ac- 
count of the scalps. 

In a few days the man went out again. He told the Scalped-Man 
that he wanted some more scalps. The man remained in the cave while 
the Scalped-Man went ofif into the enemy's country. In a few days the 
Scalped-'Man came back with the scalps. The man received the scalps. 
He stayed in the cave while he fixed them on poles. At this time the 
man told the Scalped-]\Ian that several men wanted to join him on the 
war-path. The Scalped-Man said : "Very well, come with them and 
stop near this place. Leave them in a hollow and come into my cave, 
and we will go together. I shall be glad to scout for your people." 
When the man went home there was again rejoicing in the village and 
scalp dances were had in the village. 

In a few days the man made it known to the people that he was 
about to go on the war-path. The old men flocked to him. for they 
knew that he was very lucky capturing ponies and bringing scalps. 
When the war-party started out the man who was in the lead led 
them to the cave of the Scalped-Man. He told the warriors to remain 
in a valley, while he went a short distance to look for some deer. The 
man went to the P>ad Lands to the cave of the Scalped-Man. He en- 
tered the cave. TTe found the Scalped-Man sitting there. They started 
on their journey, but the Scalped-Man would not join their party, but 
he went on ahead. The Scalped-Man led them to the village, helped to 
kill the enemy and capture ponies. The war-party returned with scalps 
and many ponies. 

The friend of the Scalped-Man was afraid that the people would 
find out about the Scalped-'Man, so he thought it was about time that 



THE SCALPED-MAN. I5I 

the Scalped-Man should be caugfht; for the Scalped-Man had not been 
really scalped, but had been wounded a little on the top of his head, 
and so he had stayed away from the people and had become accustomed 
to stay by himself. The friend of the Scalped-Man was afraid that if 
the people found out that the Scalped-Man had done all the killing 
and capturing of the ponies he would be looked upon as a coward, 
for he was now a chief for having done all his great acts. So this man 
invited a lot of men in the night and told them that it was his intention 
that morning to go out and capture a Scalped-Man who dwelt in the 
Bad Lands ; that this Scalped-Man was the one who was assisting him 
to get the ponies and kill people. The men in the village thought this 
very wrong and did not want to do it. But the man was determined. 

The next morning the people went out. They surrounded the 
bank where the Scalped-Man lived and the man went into his cave ; 
but the Scalped-Man was gone, for as they were holding their meeting 
in the night the Scalped-Man had come to the man's lodge to listen to 
the council that they were having, for each night when the man was 
home, the Scalped-Man watched around his lodge to see if he would 
betray him. At this particular council the Scalped-Man had listened 
to all their plans about catching him. So when the Scalped-Man re- 
turned into his cave that night he picked up his things, moved them 
away from that country to some other place, so that after that, when 
the men went out to capture this Scalped-Man he was gone. The 
Scalped-Man was never seen any more. 

62. THE SCALPED-MAN * 

In olden times there were certain men who went upon the war-path. 
Scouts were sent ahead, and when the scouts came back they brought 
word that they had seen a mysterious being. The thing was dressed in 
coyote hide and had crawled around, but finally had stood up and 
walked away. The scouts said that they had watched the man and that 
he had disappeared in the side of a steep bank. The leading warrior 
said : "If that being is a Scalped-Man we will go and find him. If 
he has any power we want to receive it. If he can tell us where the 
enemv are we want him to tell it." So the party went to the bank and 
hunted and hunted. They could find no place ; but one man saw a dry 
root hanging on the side of the bank. This root he pulled and a mud 
door fell ; and there was the entrance to the place where the strange 
being lived. 

*Told by Antelope. 



152 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

The men were afraid to enter the place. Among them was one 
young man who cared for nothing. He was dared to go into the den. 
The young man stepped forward and said: "Men, follow me. If he 
kills me you will get to see what the thing is." So the boy led the 
way into the cave and there sat in the cave a man, who was crying. 
He was dressed in coyote skins. His head was tied with a piece of 
white sheeting. The cave smelt very good, for there was wild sage 
spread all over the cave. There was also sitting in the lodge a buffalo 
skull. The men now agreed to talk to the Scalped-Man and to ask him 
to help their war-party to be successful. 

63. THE DEAD MAN'S COUNTRY.* 

Six or seven years ago I was out upon the hills after my ponies. 
On my way back towards the camp I fainted, and lay upon the ground 
for a long time. Finally I felt better. I rose and walked towards home. 
I entered my tipi and lay down, and when I lay down I died. 

As soon as I had died I saw a path leading east. There seemed to 
be a kind of inclosure. There was a little hole. I looked in that hole and 
saw lots of people in the village. I wanted to see the people and get 
acquainted with them. I went through this little hole. When I had 
gone through the hole I was in the dead man's country. Before I 
entered the village a man with a robe and anointed with red ointment 
came in, and said: "Young man, you must not go into this village. 
Go on, and at the south side of the entrance you will see a lodge where 
you will stop. You must not enter that lodge, for it is the lodge of the 
dead people." I went to the lodge, and I saw many people looking 
in. I stood on the south side of the entrance to the lodge. I saw that 
whenever a person who had died came, he entered inside the lodge 
and took his seat among the people in the lodge. The ground all over 
the lodge was covered with white clay, and it looked like ashes. There 
were many people in the lodge. I looked, and there the drums were 
resting in the east. The drums were black. The men were painted 
red. As they began to sing one old man came and stood out; then 
another man, }'ounger than the first ; then another, younger than 
the second ; then another, until there were seven who came in this 
fashion. The last one to come was a little boy, whom they were about 
to paint. Now the drummers began to sing in a low voice. The 
dancers had dried willow sticks, which were representatives of their rela- 
tives who were still living upon earth. Each of the men was calling his 

*Told by White-Owl. 



THE GIRL AND THE ELK. I53 

people to the dead, so that they could come and be with them. The 
dry willows were used because the dead people wanted their living 
relatives in the world to become sick — as, for example, with consump- 
tion — and to dry up like the dry willows. When one of these dancers 
had to leave this place and go up to their village in the west, another 
man of his age would go out and take his place, and so on around. They 
wanted me to go into the lodge, but the man behind me said, "Do 
not go into the lodge." Every time they got to a certain part of the 
songs they would take the willow sticks, then move them towards them- 
selves. Then the man that was watching me said, "Come, you must 
not stay here ; you must be going to your country." 
Now I woke up, but I remember the story well. 



64. THE COYOTE WHO SPOKE TO THE EAGLE HUNTERS.^ 

One time there was a prominent warrior who made up his mind 
that he would take a company of boys up into the hills to catch eagles. 
He led them out into the hills, and there he had many holes dug for 
the young men. They dug a big cave in the bank of the ^lissouri 
River, and this they made their permanent home. 

One night, while they were sitting around in a circle telling 
Coyote stories, telling things a little bit in excess of what the Coyote 
had done, they were startled by the bark of a Coyote just outside of 
their den. Presently the Coyote walked into their den and said : "You 
people tell things about me that are not true, but then, it is all right." 
He jumped out of the den and went off. All the young men, and even 
the leader, were scattered, on account of this Coyote's coming into the 
den. They left their den and returned to their village. They thought 
that it was a bad sign for the Coyote to talk, but the other people 
thought that it was wrong for them to be scared. They thought that 
the Coyote had brought a good message to them, and they should have 
stayed and should have caught many eagles. 

65. THE GIRL AND THE ELK.* 

One time the Ankara went hunting on the Missouri River. They 
made their camp in the timber. Every evening the men used to go 
across the river and kill Elk. One evening, after the men had come 
home from their hunt, they heard the Elk whistling across the river. 

*Told by Many-Fox. 



154 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

There was a fine-looking young woman in the camp, and as soon as 
she heard the Elk whistling she jumped up as if something had struck 
her, and she said : "Oh ! I like that whistling ; I must go and find out 
what it is." The people got hold of this woman. Every time the Elk 
whistled it was hard for the girl to stay away from him. For many 
days 'the Elk walked on the other side of the river, and the husband of 
the girl began to get jealous of the animal, for every time the Elk 
whistled the girl would jump up as if to run after it. 

One day as they heard the whistling of the Elk they all agreed 
that it was time to kill it. As they were getting ready to go across the 
river to kill the Elk they heard the whistling on their side of the river. 
There was the Elk going slowly through the timber. The men shot 
and shot and shot at it, but they could not kill it. The girl had to be 
tied up, because s'he wanted to go to the Elk. Finally one of the men 
took one of his cartridges and put in it some medicine, and said, "Now 
I will see if we can kill you." This man shot at the Elk, and his bullet 
was efifective. While the Elk was whistling through the timber the girl 
was being held down. She had almost gotten away from three or 
four strong men. After the Elk was dead they had to give the girl 
some medicine to keep her from running away. She was put in a 
sweat-lodge many times, until she got over this crazy spell. 

66. HOW THE RABBIT SAVED A WARRIOR * 

One time the Ojibwa stole many ponies from the Arikara. The 
Ankara followed the Ojibwa, and they overtook the horse thieves, but 
a different band of Ojibwa. There were several wagon-loads of them. 
The Arikara attacked them and fought hard. Several Arikara were 
wounded, including one of their brave men, who was shot through his 
neck by a bullet, which passed clear through his neck. The Arikara 
expected that 'he would die from loss of blood. As the man seemed 
about to die he saw a Jack-Rabbit, who spoke to him, and said : "You 
are not to die ; you are to live." When the battle was over the man was 
brought to the village of the Arikara. He was taken into the medicine- 
lodge, and there was attended by the Rabbit medicine-man. In less 
than four days the man was up and around. He told the Arikara that 
the Rabbit had spoken to him, and told him that he was not to die from 
his wound. The man became well, and was one of the leading medi- 
cine-men of the Rabbit band. He lived to old age. He died only a 
few years ago from the bursting of a blood-vessel in the old wound. 

•Told by Elk. 



THE WOMAN WHOSE BREASTS WERE CUT OFF. 1 55 

67. THE WOMAN WHOSE BREASTS WERE CUT OFF.* 

In olden times when the Arikara hved in a village, there was a 
man who had a beautiful woman. This woman gave birth to a baby 
boy. One time when the child was about five years old the father 
went off on a hunt. While he was gone another young man, who was 
very handsome came and courted the woman. She liked the young 
man and did as he wanted her to do. They loved one another so much 
that they finally agreed that they would find a plan whereby either they 
could get rid of the husband or the woman would feign sickness and 
death. If she pretended to be dead she was to be placed upon an arbor 
instead of being buried ; so the woman feigned sickness when her hus- 
band came home. She pretended to die, and they placed her upon an 
arbor. Her lover killed 'three dogs, skinned them, took the dogs up to 
the arbor and untied the girl. The dogs were placed upon the arbor, 
so that when the dog meat decayed it would smell. The young man 
brought leggings, moccasins, blankets, and beads, and in these the 
girl dressed as a boy. Her breast was tied with wide strings, so that 
not much of it appeared. They went ofif to another village, which was 
about four miles from the original village, where they lived happily. 
The young woman passed herself for a young man from the other 
village. 

After they had stayed a long time in the village the woman grew 
anxious to see her child, so they painted up as men, and went and sat 
upon a rock that was by a spring. There they watched for the child 
to come to get water. One day the woman's boy came to get water 
from the spring, and she recognized him. After she had seen the boy 
she wanted to take him up in her arms, but the young man said, "No !" 
The woman insisted, and said, "He will not find me out." They went 
closer, and when the boy came where they were standing by the tree 
the woman spoke to her boy, and said, "Boy, will you let me drink out 
of your bucket." The boy looked at the woman for a long time. He 
went into his lodge and told his father that he had seen his mother. 
The father would not believe it, but the boy said, "There are two peo- 
ple standing yonder, and one of them is my mother." 

The father thought, to make sure that it was true, that he would 
send for them. He had some dried buffalo meat boiled, and sent an in- 
vitation for the two young men to come and eat in his lodge. In the 
meantime he had sharpened a long knife and placed it under the meat. 
"Now," he said, "if it is 'true that that woman is not a man, but my 
wife, I will find out. There are two things she is to do when she enters 
the lodge. First, when she enters and steps over the ridge inside of the 

*Told by Young-Hawk. 



156 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

lodge, he will step forward as he steps ; and if she is a female she will 
step over the ridge with her foot sidewise. The second thing is, when 
they have eaten and wdien I ofifer them the pipe to smoke, I shall know 
she is a female if the person refuses to smoke." 

The two young men were sent for. They came, and the real young 
man entered the lodge, and stepped over the ridge straight forward, 
while the next young man, instead of walking straight forward like 
the first, moved her leg over sidewise. By this the husband knew that 
the person was not a man. He let them eat, and after they had eaten, 
the man filled the pipe and gave it to them. When the female took 
the pipe, instead of trying to smoke she put the pipe up to her mouth, 
and instead of drawing the smoke she blew into the pipe. The hus- 
band now took out his knife, and said : "I wanted to find you out. You 
are my wife." The woman screamed, and asked him to forgive her, 
saying she would live with him and try to be a good woman. The 
young man ran away. But the husband was angry, and said : "You are 
dead to me any way, but rather than that your breasts be tied down 
to make you look like a man I will cut them oflf, so that your breasts 
will be smooth." The husband took his knife out and cut her breasts 
ofif. The woman ran and fell at the entrance and died. She was taken 
up by her people and buried. The man went to the place where he 
supposed he had laid his wife, and there were three dead dogs. He 
knew by this that the two had played a trick on him. The girl's 
parents never said anything, but they were glad that the woman was 
dead. Nothing more was said about it. 

68. THE WATER-DOGS.* 

Once there was a young man who slept outside of the lodge. He 
heard dogs bark at night, and as it was moonlight he saw a dog com- 
ing out of the river carrying her little ones in her mouth, one at a 
time, into the hills, to a spring. This young man saw the water-dog 
carrying its young ones. His name was Poor-Bear. He died shortly 
after he saw the dogs. At another time an old woman went to get 
some water out of the river, at or about the same place the water-dogs 
were seen. As she stooped to dip the water up she heard the dogs 
chattering in the water. She became frightened. She went home with 
the water and told the story. She became sick and died shortly after- 
ward. 

These water-dogs are supposed to be very powerful in killing 
people. They are hardly ever seen by people, and when the}' are seen 
the person who sees them generally dies. 

*Told by Two-Hawks. 



TWO-WOLVES^ THE PROPHET. 157 

69. TWO-WOLVES, THE PROPHET * 

On what we call "Stevenson Flat" is a good piece of timber. There 
the Arikara were camped a long time ago. One day everybody turned 
out on the hills some few miles away on a buffalo chase. While they 
were making preparations to go home there came up a very bad storm. 
The hunters were scattered in small groups, some fleeing with the wind, 
others heading toward their camp. Two-Wolves, a rather quiet but 
good-hearted fellow, was rather slow about getting away. He was 
left all by himself in the storm. He stayed out all night and was 
missed the next night. They thought that he was a victim of the bad 
storm. His relatives mourned for him, and when the storm was over 
they set out to look around for him and to bring home their meat. 
Two- Wolves had been pitied by a Prairie-Chicken that had saved his 
life. The ruling power, Waruhti, had given him power to understand 
the speech of Thunder. The hunters met Two- Wolves coming home, 
and as they rushed up to greet him and inquire of his troubles he an- 
swered that he was all right. 

A long time after this had happened Two-Wolves began to prac- 
tice his power. The men began to be interested in him. He always 
had his lodge full. A few of the wonderful things that he did are 
these : Once a man named Two-Bears had a herd of ponies. They 
were badly disturbed by a horse owned by a man named Roving- 
Coyote. One day as Two-Bears was driving his herd to water, this 
horse acted very badly, cutting out the mares and chasing the horses, 
Two-Bears grew tired of the horse's behavior and took a strong, sharp- 
pointed ash stake and threw it at him. The horse was badly injured 
by the pin and died. Roving-Coyote, wondering who could have killed 
his horse, made up his mind to find out. He took the matter to Two- 
Wolves. "Aye ! I want to find out who shot my pony. I do not want 
to make any trouble, but I want to know who did it." "Yes," said 
Two-Wolves, "my father will be the one to decide, but I will perform 
the ceremony to him." He called all the men together that belonged 
to his fire. He then asked the crier to call all over the vilage : "O ! 
people of this village! Two-Wolves wants the man who killed the 
horse belonging to Roving-Coyote to report to his lodge." The crier 
repeated this over and over. When all had heard he went into the 
lodge again. While the ceremony had been going on black clouds rose 
in the west, and "Ah ho ! Ah ho !" was repeatedly said by Two- 
Wolves. "Now my father is coming." He called again for the man 
to hurry, saying there was no use of secrecy and that he should know. 

•Told by Strike-Enemy. 



158 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

Another call was given, and the Thunder was heard in the distance. 
Two-Bears did not believe that Two-Wolves could learn anything from 
Thunder, and so would not come. Thunder told Two-Wolves that 
Two-Bears was the man who had killed the horse. When Two-Bears 
did not come, Two-Wolves sent his servant to tell him to come right 
away. When he had come he was greeted heartily by Two-Wolves 
and placed beside him. "I am glad you have come. Now I want to 
say that my father says you are the man that killed Roving-Coyote's 
horse." "Yes," said Two-Bears, "I know now that you are a wonder- 
ful man. I did what you have accused me of. Ah ! my friend," 
said he to Roving-Coyote, "you know how trying your horses are some- 
times, and we lose our temper and are sorry for it afterwards. I did 
kill your horse with a picket pin, but I did not think you would find it 
out. I have nice ponies, and you may have your choice for my deed." 
Another time an old brave named Wolf-Chief could not believe 
that such a thing as to understand the speech of Thunder was possible. 
Whenever he heard a call from Two-Wolves he would remark: "Now, 
what has that young rascal heard from the Big-One. We are gifted 
with power from different sources and we do not send out criers to 
make it public. Oh ! grandson, if you will show us that you are some- 
thing more than a man to go on the war-path and bring home scalps 
and ponies, then we will believe your doings." Two-Wolves heard all 
of these things, but never said anything. One day as it was raining 
and thundering Two- Wolves heard his father speaking, telling him to 
get Wolf-Chief and speak to him about his making fun of him. and to 
have him kill a black dog that he had and perform the ceremony with 
the feast. Two- Wolves sent out a crier to call for the man that would 
not believe Two-Wolves' prophecies. The caller passed by Wolf- 
Chief's lodge and Wolf-Chief remarked, "Well, that young rascal has 
something up again." Again the crier was out saying that the man 
who ridiculed Two-Wolves was wanted at Two-Wolves' lodge, right 
away. At the third call he did not come, but Wolf-Chief knew he was 
the man wanted. Two-Wolves then sent a servant to tell Wolf-Chief 
that he was wanted. When the servant arrived at Wolf-Chief's he 
found the old brave making arrows. "Nawa, you look as though 
you had something to say," said Wolf-^Chief. "Yes," said the servant, 
"you are wanted at Two-Wolves'." "I will come," said he. He laid 
his work aside and went on to answer the call. He was greeted cheer- 
fully and seated beside Two-Wolves. "I called you here to remind you 
tliat I have heard all the ridicule you have made, but I did not mind it 
until my father himself spoke to me of it, and that is why I have you 
here. You are to stop your jesting and make a feast for my father's 



HOW THE MEDICINE-ROBE SAVED THE ARIKARA. 1 59 

ceremony with the black dog my father said that you have." "Ah, my 
grandson ! You are wonderful. I know now, and I will do as you have 
asked me, and the servant will go with me and bring the dog you 
speak of." 

Two-Wolves sent out only one war-party, and it was a failure. 
He gave out notice that he was to be a leader of a war-party. The 
party was held back on account of the rain, and he prophesied that 
there was a party of five enemies near on foot, and if they did not hurry 
they would miss them. On their way they saw the footprints of five 
men that had already passed. Two- Wolves was disappointed by the 
slowness of the party, and on their way he gave notice that no bird of 
any kind should be killed. This same day, the picket men found a 
bunch of buffalo. They gave chase and killed several. Strike-Enemy 
sacrificed one buffalo to his sacred bundle. The men got together 
around the meat. An eagle flew around them. It came nearer and 
nearer. They knew that the prophet had forbidden any birds to be 
killed. The temptation was so great that finally one took his musket 
and shot the eagle. Two- Wolves on hearing this was displeased. He 
warned the party to remain together, for they were to meet a party of 
seven. Sure enough, the scouts saw seven men in a party, but the 
men saw the scouts and they escaped. Two-W^olves called the party 
together and told them that he was discouraged by their errors and 
would not go further. They returned home. Two- Wolves lived a long 
time, doing good work, discovering thieves, and prophesying many won- 
derful things. At last he was taken sick and died. 



ro. HOW THE MEDICINE-ROBE SAVED THE ARIKARA.* 

A long time ago I joined a war-party. We went south, into the 
western part of the Sioux country, known as Nebraska. We came to 
an old village site. At this village site we found four large mounds 
where there had stood the four lodges of the bundle lodges. On the 
east side was a mound. The old men sat down by this mound and 
smoked. The oldest of the men told us that once the Arikara lived 
here ; that while they were having their medicine ceremonies in one of 
these lodges a Sioux or one of some other tribe came and went through 
the village. 

Now, there was one lodge where all the people, except one young 
woman who had just married, had gone to see the medicine-men's 
ceremony. While she was keeping the fire up and had the entrance 

♦Told by Sitting-Bear. 



l60 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

fast, she saw at the top of the opening a man, an enemy, peeping down 
and looking at her. She sat and watched the enemy. He crawled from 
the lodge, then dug in the side of the lodge. She kept running around, 
until she went to the fire and poured water over it, so that the fire went 
out. After a while her husband came. She told him about the enemy. 
The young man accused his wife of having her lover around. The 
next day the young man went to the timber and gathered a lot of 
dried willows and some dry grass. This he took to his lodge. He 
placed the dry wood by the entrance. That evening the young man 
hid in the lodge, and allowed his wife to remain in the lodge as before. 
When it became dark, the enemy came and looked through the open- 
ing he had made the night before. The enemy then walked to the en- 
trance and found the entrance open. So he walked in. The husband 
then arose from his hiding place. He caught the enemy from behind, 
so that he held his arms. The woman took the grass and willow limbs 
and threw them upon the hot coals, so that there was a big blaze. She 
then went out and screamed, "My man has an enemy in our lodge!" 
The men ran into the lodge, and there was the young man, holding on 
to the enemy. The enemy was overpowered, and a seat was given him. 

The man had long hair. His face was painted. Bunches of medi- 
cine were tied upon his head. On his right arm was tied a rattlesnake 
skin. On his left arm was tied the shell of a turtle. The tail was 
upon it. The man made signs and said: "Next month, all of you 
people will be killed by the southern tribe of Indians. You make fun 
of me, but it is true. I came to capture a woman." The man was 
then taken to the Awaho bundle's lodge. There they had singing. In 
a few days the man was placed upon a scaffold of four ash timbers, and 
his hands and feet were tied with strong buffalo strings. He was left 
upon the scaffold to die, but the man was a wonderful man, for he 
shook his arms and the strings became loose. The people saw it, and 
they tied him again. Every time the man shook his arms he broke 
loose. One of the old priests was selected to stab the man to death. 
The man was left upon the scaffold, and his body dried. 

One night as the medicine-men were having their ceremony this 
man who had been put upon the scaffold came into the lodge. All the 
medicine-men ran out of the lodge. Word was sent to the man who 
was the keeper of the wonderful robe* He went into the lodge and 
found the dead man lying upon a buffalo robe. The man wrapped 
the dead man in the robe and packed him to the river. He threw hini 
into the river, saying, "You wonderful man, I throw you into the river, 

•The tribal medicine of the Arikara. 



HOW THE MEDICINE-ROBE SAVED THE ARIKARA. l6l 

and your bones shall stay here." The man went to the lodge. Sweet 
grass and wild sage were burned in the lodge. The medicine-men 
then resumed their performances. In about a month the medicine- 
men's ceremony was over. Each medicine-man took his medicine things 
to his lodge and wrapped them up. 

The month came to an end and the Indians looked for the enemy. 
One fine day the Indians saw the Sioux coming from over the hills. 
There were so many that the people became scared. The keeper of the 
holy robe sat down in his lodge. The men were going out to meet 
and fight the enemy. The enemy were so numerous that the medicine- 
man with the holy robe and the robe's belongings made medicine- 
smoke, then laid down the gourd [rattle]. He took the robe and 
wrapped it about his body, the hair side turned out. The inside had 
the sun, moon, and stars upon it. He then took an eagle wing in his 
left hand, the gourd in his right hand, went out and climbed upon the 
top of his lodge. By this time the enemy were close to the village. 
This man upon the lodge then shook himself, and shook the robe to- 
wards the sun, then he closed the robe. While he was doing this the 
enemy noticed some of their men fall off from their horses, bleeding 
from their lungs and seeming to be out of their heads. The enemy saw 
the man upon the lodge. They became scared. A shout was heard. 
The enemy gave way and ran ; for the power of the man was so great 
that whoever came under his power ran into the village, powerless to 
defend himself. The enemy gave way. and there was great slaughter- 
ing. The village was saved. 

The wonderful man went into his lodge and made sweet-smelling 
sm ^ke, passed his robe over the smoke several times, then wrapped it 
and hung it up. The gourd was then passed over the smoke and hung 
up bv the robe. The medicines were then passed over the smoke and 
put aw^ay. The man had red clay all over his body while going through 
this performance. He also passed smoke all over his body, and said : 
"I am satisfied. Our village is saved. The enemy are killed. Scalps 
will be brought in, so we can have great rejoicing." Scalps were 
brought, and there was great rejoicing. There were three different 
kinds of scalp dances given by the women. One was a dance learned 
from the Cheyenne, another from the Grosventre, and another from the 
Pawnee. Of course, they had their own scalp dance, but these three 
were the best dances. 

Some years after, some of the Sioux visited the Arikara, and they 
told of the strange man, and that he was a Wichita. The Sioux also 
said that at that time many tribes had got together to annihilate the 
Arikara. 



l62 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

n. THE MEDICINE BEAR SHIELD.=i^ 

I was fourteen winters old when my father died. I did not go to 
see him buried, for I was feehng very bad. After the people had 
come away from where my father was buried I went to the place. 
There was the grave. The people had stuck two forks in the ground 
and placed a pole across the forks. Then some poles were placed on 
the sides, and instead of piling stones and dirt over the grave a bufifalo 
robe was spread over it, so that there was no dirt. Stones were placed 
on the robe where it touched the ground. I cried and cried, and in the 
evening I fell asleep. I dreamed I had seen a Bear standing by my 
father's grave, and I was scared. The Bear spoke, and I always be- 
lieved that it was my father who spoke to me, and said : "My son, 
the shield was upon the grave ; some one has removed it. Find it ; it 
is yours." I slept a long time, for when I woke it was nearly daylight. 
I stood up and cried again, .and stood by the grave all day. I was 
young. There were many enemies in the country, but I did not care. 
In the evening I saw clouds coming from the west. Soon a rain storm 
came, but I did not go home. When it began to pour I ran to a steep 
bank. There was a crevice. I crawled in there and lay down. It was 
now dark. I did not go to sleep, for I kept my eyes upon the grave. 
There was a lightning flash. The flash struck near the grave. I saw 
standing by the grave a Bear, its paws upward toward the sky. It 
became dark again. I kept my eyes upon the grave. Again the light- 
ning flashed and again the lightning struck by the grave, where I saw 
the lightning come together and form a circle with a black mark upon 
the center. On each side of the black mark were black spots, as if the 
circle had eyes and nose. I watched the circle, and I was satisfied that 
the black center mark was a Bear. The two marks I saw were Bear's 
ears. On each ear I saw branches of cedar and pine. x'Vs it was dark 
the circle gradually disappeared, and I saw in its place a rainbow. Then 
it disappeared. The rain storm passed, and I crawled out from the 
place and went to the grave and began to cry. I cried all night, and 
also the next day. In the evening I fell asleep. In my dream I saw 
my father, who told me that a shield was placed upon his grave, and 
that Howling-Wolf had taken the shield from the grave. My father 
further told me that the shield belonged to me and that I must get it 
and make another one such as I had seen the night before. He further 
told me to go home and get the shield. 

*Told by Strike-Enemy. 



THE MEDICINE BEAR SHIELD. 163 

I awoke in the morning and went home. I asked my people who 
took the shield from my father's grave, and they told me that some one 
had taken it from the grave. I told them who had it, and my mother 
went to the lodge of the man, who said, "Yes, I took it, but I threw the 
cover away, for I intended to make a new cover for it." The frame 
of the shield was given up by the man to me. I took it home, and I 
had my people make another cover, a cover I had seen myself upon 
my father's grave. You see the picture of the Bear as I saw it. It 
is throwing up white-dust. The left side of the shield is a Bear's ear. 
Inside of it are cedar berries. The right ear has pine cones in it. I 
hunted, and I killed a deer. The deer skin was tanned and these things 
were put upon the tanned buckskin — the picture of the Bear and Bear's 
ears. On a buffalo hunt I killed a buffalo bull and made the inner 
shield. This I did by getting the whole breast hide of a bull. After 
I got it I spread it upon the ground. I took all of the meat off. I then 
dug a hole and made a big fire in it. When the fire went down and 
there were only coals and hot stones I spread the hide over the bed of 
coals and drove stakes around the hide, so that the hide when it shrunk 
pulled the stakes up. As the hide shrunk it became thick. While hot, 
I cut around the rim until I got it of the right size. Now a ceremony 
was in order. Songs were sung while the covering of the shield was 
being painted as you now see. The red, downy eagle feather was put 
there for the first lightning, which was very red. The ears were put 
upon the shield, so the shield would have vmderstanding. There are 
three songs that are sung when the shield is being made. The shield 
was made, and I hung it up. In the night I took it into the lodge. Be- 
fore sunrise I would take the shield and hang it up so that it faced to- 
wards the east. 

When I saw fifteen winters I joined a war-party. After we had 
gone several days we saw a Sioux coming. We hid away in a ravine 
and as he came near where we were I jumped up. holding the shield in 
front of me. Another man in our party shot and hit the Sioux in the 
breast. I struck the Sioux with my bow and counted my first coup. 
I returned to where the Sioux fell, for I had run beyond. I jumped 
upon the Sioux and took only his scalplock. This I took to my grand- 
father, who took the scalp to the lodge of the holy bundle. The cere- 
mony of offering the scalp to the gods was performed. After this 
ceremony the chiefs had their ceremony, and I was made a chief. I was 
invited to sit among the great chiefs. An old man arose and, taking up 
a buckskin shirt, called me to him. He put the buckskin shirt upon me. 
He said: "My son, I put upon you a dress that is white; there are no 



164 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

marks upon the shirt. It is fringed upon the sleeves and body with 
ermine. You are now a young chief. See that you are always brave 
and as you strike enemies and scalp them make marks upon your shirt, 
so that these chiefs who are present here will be proud that you wear 
their shirt. When you come to old age this shirt will be covered with 
many marks, representing your deeds in battles." After this ceremony 
I again joined other war-parties. I gave many scalps to my grand- 
father. When the enemy attacked our village I wore my shield, and 
though the enemy shot at me I was never hit. When the battle would 
be over there would be young men brought in from the battlefield 
wounded. 

Another time my people had what is now known as the "sun 
dance." My grandfather took me in and placed me upon the ground. 
He spoke to the old warriors, and said : "Medicine-men and warriors, 
I bring this young man into this lodge. I want you, medicine-men, to 
paint him and place this lariat rope upon the pole, and cut upon his 
back so that he will swing. Warriors, in cutting upon his back, tell 
of your great deeds, so that my grandson will overtake your great deeds 
in his life and become a great man. I have many ponies to give you, 
and his mother and relatives will give you presents." Two of the medi- 
cine-men arose and painted my body. Then one of the medicine-men 
spoke, and said : "Warriors, the young man is ready to be cut upon 
the back." One warrior arose and came to where I lay. This warrior 
told of his great deeds, then cut me upon my right shoulder-blade. It 
hurt, but I kept courage. The next man then came and put a stick 
through the cut and tied it with the buckskin string. The next warrior 
came and told of his great deeds, then cut upon my left shoulder and 
ran the stick through, tying the buckskin. Each of these men received 
a fine pony from my friends, also all the gifts brought in by my friends. 
The warriors now pulled the lariat rope, so that I now swung about 
four feet from the ground. I swung there one day and one night. One 
of mv related warriors seeing me swing there so long arose, and said : 
"Medicine-men and warriors, this is the youngest man ever brought 
into such a lodge as this. I have a present of a fine racing pony for 
him. Now cut these strings." When he said this, many of my friends 
came in and spread presents of robes and other presents. No sooner 
would the giver place the presents than some one would come and take 
them away. A warrior arose and came where I hung. He told of fight- 
ing a duel with a Sioux and how he had cut him up with a knife. This 
man's name was Bloody-Knife. He cut the strips of skin, and I fell 
to the ground. I was taken out of the lodge. Then I was fed with 



THE CRUCIFIED ENEMY. 165 

pounded corn and tallow. A few days after, the Sioux attacked our 
village and again I counted coup and also struck the enemy. I had an 
easy time in battle; I think it was because of the sufferings I went 
through in the ceremony. I danced the sun dance many times after 
that, but always suffered, for the old medicine-men had died and young 
men took their places. 

72. THE CRUCIFIED ENEMY.* 

Many years ago there stood a village made of earth-lodges. In 
the village there were some people who wanted to go on a buffalo hunt. 
They were mostly young men and young women. The older people 
were left in the village. After many days the enemy were seen in the 
distance. 

The old people who remained in the village were somewhat con- 
fused and frightened. When the enemy approached, the men marched 
out and fought them desperately. Finally the people of the village re- 
treated. They all got inside of their lodges. The men stood by their 
doors, fighting the enemy. In one of the lodges sat an old man. He 
was putting on his medicine paint and costumes. After he had finished 
he went out, having a gourd in his hand, but no weapon. He went on 
top of the lodge and sang some of his most sacred songs, that there 
might come aid from some of the gods. When the enemy saw him they 
were much amazed, and very much afraid of him. Some one said that 
he knew the old medicine-man, and that they could not do anything 
to him, for he was a medicine-man who had the power to mesmerize. 
So they all ran, crying : "We can not do anything with him ! Hurry 
on, before he works on us!" The old man ran behind them. One 
young man on the enemy's side was wounded and brought into the 
village. He was taken into the medicine-lodge, and they all saw him. 
He 'had been one of the bravest men, and had all kinds of medicines 
on his head and around his neck. Finally it was agreed that he should 
be tied up to a wooden cross and be placed outside of the village. They 
did this, and the man died. After a while he lost all of his flesh, but 
the bones were left on the cross. 

Many young men used to go outside of the village near the cross 
to play at games. One day while they were playing, the bones of the 
man on the cross fell to the ground, rose up and ran toward the village. 
Everybody ran away, because of the ghost. The ghost ran toward the 
medicine-lodge and ran inside, but no one would go in, for everyone 



*Told by Hawk. 



l66 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

was afraid. At last one brave man came forward who dared to go in. 
He looked all around and found the man from the cross under some 
blankets upon the altar. He called to the others. They all came in and 
saw the ghost lying there. They gathered the bones and bundled 
them up in an old basket, then threw them away. After this had passed, 
the party that had gone on a buffalo hunt returned with lots of dried 
meat. Of course, the people who stayed were very glad to see them 
again. The happenings and results were told to them. 



73. HOW A SIOUX WOMAN'S SCALP WAS SACRIFICED.* 

In the fall there were five or six of us who went on the war-path. 
We came to the Pine Ridge Agency, and there hid, close to where the 
Sioux got their water. Two women came down to the spring to get 
water. We all ran towards the women. The women ran. One young 
man caught up with one woman, grabbed at her hair, took his knife, 
and took the scalp off from the right side of the woman's head. The 
woman ran into the camp. 

We returned to our leader and gave the scalp to him. The leader 
then said, "We must hurry home." We walked all day and all night, 
and another day and night. The next day we found the thick timber, 
and there we lay down to rest. W'hen we woke up, the leader took 
the fat off from the scalp. He then called one of the men. He then 
cut the fat, making it into five pieces. Facing the east, he placed four 
of the five pieces in his hand — 'One on each corner of his palm — and 
the fifth piece he placed in the center of the palm. He then took the 
pieces, one at a time, beginning with the one on the southeast corner, 
then the southwest corner, then the northwest corner, then the north- 
east corner, and placed them in a similar position upon the ground, 
which was to show that the scalp was to be offered to the gods. We 
then went home. 

We gave the scalp to one of the high priests, who held the scalp 
ceremony. At this ceremony we used the fire-sticks to make the fire 
for burning this scalp. The scalp was burned. After the burning of 
the scalp the people turned out, passing their holy bundles and medi- 
cine bags over the smoke. The priest stood to the west of the burning 
scalp and recited a ritual, calling on the gods. The young men and 
children who wanted their names changed gave presents to the priests, 
who changed their names for them. 

•Told by Sitting-Bear. 



THE CAPTURE OF THE ENEMY's BOWS. 167 

74. THE WARRIOR WHO FOUGHT THE SIOUX.* 

W'hen the Indians used to live at the Fort Berthold village a few 
of them moved about ten miles west of Fort Berthold, on the Missouri 
River bottom, in the timber. This was in the winter time. Strike- 
Enemy and some others went to the Fort Berthold village. 

When Strike-Enemy was about a mile from the village he was at- 
tacked by a hundred or more Sioux. He held them back, for he had a 
rifle. He reached the fort; then the Sioux surrounded it. The people 
in the fort all fought the Sioux. It seems that one man had gone out 
to bunt antelope. He had killed one antelope, and was bringing it to- 
wards the fort. He could not see ahead, for he was carrying a whole 
antelope upon his back ; but when 'he heard a noise he saw that the 
Sioux had attacked the fort. He threw down the antelope and ran. 
This all happened in the winter time when the snow was on the ground. 
The Sioux found the man's tracks, and they followed him. They 
caught up with the man about six miles west of the fort. Here he 
stopped, and the first Sioux he oame to he killed. He then jumped on 
the enemy he had killed and cut him open with his knife, cut his arm 
off at the shoulder and commenced to hit the man on his head with his 
own arm. The Sioux were shooting at him from behind with their 
arrows. The hunter did not pay any attention to the shooting. He 
stood up, gave a big yell, like that of a bear, and the Sioux ran. Then 
the hunter again cut the Sioux upon the breast and began to put blood 
upon his face. When he straightened up, the Sioux saw that he had 
a piece of liver in his mouth. He chased them and took away all tiieir 
ponies. He caught one pony, got on it, and ran after them. The 
Sioux say that they were scared, for they had never seen anybody 
acting in this way, for the hunter seemed like a bear. He gave them 
back their ponies, then went away, but the Sioux would not come near 
him. He took only one pony and went into some timber. That night 
a blizzard set in. The next day he was found frozen. He still had the 
arrows in his back. The Arikara and Sioux both tell this story. 

75. THE CAPTURE OF THE ENEMY'S BOWS.* 

In olden times the young men in a village went on the war-path. 
While they were gone the Sioux came down to the village and cap- 
tured all their old women and children, killing many. A young man 
returned to the village and found out what had happened. He found 

*Told by Strike-Enemy. 
tTold by Yellow-Bear. 



l68 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

his brother coming- from a thickly timbered place, who told him that 
his father was in hiding in the timber. These three were the only 
ones around the village. The young man was angry. He told his father 
and brother that he wanted them to follow him to the Sioux. This 
they did. 

One evening they came up with the enemy, who were in camp by 
a creek. The young man said, "We will attack this camp." The three 
went through the timber. They saw the big campfires, mostly of 
their people, but there were some Sioux warriors stationed out, watch- 
ing. The young man looked up at the stars, then at the trees, and at 
everything. Then he said to the two — his father and brother — "We 
must make an attack, give a big Wiar-whoop, and make it sound as if 
there were many people." So the three gave the war-whoop and at- 
tacked the camp. The oldest man, at the same time, yelled : "My peo- 
ple, do not run, but pick up your bows! We are here!" When they 
gave the war-whoop the trees all seemed to give the war-whoop — even 
the grass gave the war-whoop. The stars seemed to give the war- 
whoop. War-whoops sounded all through the timber. The birds and 
everything seemed to give the war-whoop. The enemy were fright- 
ened. They ran. The people stayed behind. They captured the 
enemy's bows and several of their people. Then they followed the 
enemy. The next day they came up with them and killed a great 
many. The people then took the enemy's bows and arrows and took 
them up on a high hill. They set them up, with one bow in the middle 
and all the other bows resting on it. So all the bows and arrows were 
set upon the high hill. The hill was known after that as "Enemy's- 
Bows-Upon-a-High-Hill." 



r6. THE WOMAN WHO BEFRIENDED THE WARRIORS.* 

When the Arikara had their village on the Missouri River there 
were two boys who started out on the war-path. They went away up 
on the Missouri River. They went down to the fields and found a little 
earth-lodge. They went in and found an old woman, who was glad 
to see them. She gave them something to eat. She told them where 
to go. There they went, and found the enemy. They killed one or two, 
then went home. Again they went on the war-path. They visited the 
old woman's place again, and she fed them. After they had eaten she 
told them where to go to find the enemy. They went and found the 



•Told by Enemy-Heart. 



THE WOMAN WHO BEFRIENDED THE WARRIORS. 169 

enemy. They killed the enemy and took scalps home. At another 
time several other young men joined their war-party. They went up 
to the old woman's place and there they were again fed, and they were 
told by the old woman where to find the enemy. They found the enemy, 
killed several, took their scalps, and went home. After this, when- 
ever the two young men wanted to go on the war-path, many young 
men joined them. They found that these two young men had a grand- 
mother, who was helping them. In one of these war-parties against 
the enemy there were so many young men in the party that when the 
old woman saw them she felt ashamed ; but she told the people to go 
on ; that they would find the enemy and would kill and scalp them. The 
people did kill the enemy, took their scalps, and went home. 

Again, another war-party went out to find the old woman, but the 
old woman 'had disappeared. The men came and told the two boys. 
The two boys hunted for her, and at last found her in the side of a cliflf 
in the Bad Lands. Here the two boys visited her, and she helped them. 
Other men found out where she was and a great company of them went 
there, but she had again disappeared. Another party of warriors went 
out. They came to a big lake. The warriors made their camp there. 
In the night they heard a woman singing scalp-dance songs, and she 
danced and laughed. The warriors were scared. They wanted to re- 
turn 'home, but the leader said, ''No, she is rejoicing, for we are to kill 
the enemy." The warriors went on, found the enemy's camp, and they 
killed several and took their scalps. They took the scalps home, and 
they 'had a scalp-dance. Again, another war-party went out. They 
went and stopped opposite the lake. The dancing and singing was 
again heard. The leaders were glad to hear this. They went and 
killed the enemy and scalped them. 

Another war-party went out. They stopped opposite the lake. 
The woman, instead of singing and dancing, began to mourn. But the 
warriors went on, notwithstanding, and when they attacked the enemy 
the enemy got the best of them, killed several of them, and only a few 
of them reached home to tell the story. After that, when a war-party 
went to the lake, whenever the old woman sang scalp-dance songs and 
danced, they knew that they were going to be successful. If the woman 
began to cry and yell, they knew that if they went on, the enemy would 
get the best of them. It was found out afterwards that this was the 
same old woman who had lived upon the Missouri River, and she had 
gone away from the people and had gone to the Bad Lands ; and when 
she was found out there s'he went oflf to dwell in the lakes. The peo- 
ple used to give the old woman blankets, tobacco, and other things. 



170 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

rr. THE ATTACK UPON THE EAGLE HUNTERS.* 

Many years ago it was a common practice for the Arikara to go 
upon the hills and dig holes in them and stay in the holes many days, to 
catch eagles. One young man went away off by himself. He climbed 
:tpon a high hill, dug a hole, and over the hole spread some dry limbs. 
On the limbs he placed some dead jack-rabbits and other small ani- 
mals. Then he himself got into the hole. His bow and arrows were 
lying outside of the den. While he was lying there the Sioux came 
and found the bole. They marched down and came upon the man. 
They found his bow, arrows, and gun outside. They took the things 
off from the hole and told the man to crawl out. They then wanted to 
know where the other men were. He told them they were at another 
place. So they tied him up and he led them up to the spot where the 
other men were. They found that the party had lots of meat. They 
untied the man and told the Arikara to stand around the fireplace 
while they made the man cook the meat for them. The man cooked a 
lot of dried meat, and the first thing he did was to take a fire-stick, 
which he ran into a piece of buffalo tallow. This he held over the fire, 
and as the grease was dripping from it he whirled it around and burned 
the Sioux with the grease. The Sioux were all scared. The man 
went out of the tipi and walked a short distance, for be was very weak, 
for the Sioux had been torturing him. Now, he went a little way 
ahead into a ravine. The Sioux were all scared, for they thought that 
the man had gone outside and was waiting for any of them to come out, 
so that he might kill them. They stayed in the tipi all night. 

That night the man went home and told the people all that had 
happened, and the warriors and braves got on their ponies and they 
found that the Sioux had just left the tipi. They caught up with the 
Sioux and killed three of them. The Arikara went home victorious 
with three scalps. So the people gave war dances. 



78. THE ATTACK UPON THE EAGLE HUNTERS.f 

There was a young man who understood the ceremony of catch- 
ing eagles upon the hills. He invited six other young men to join him 
in catching eagles. They went west from their village, upon the banks 
of the Missouri. These men made their camp, then dug into the bank 
of the Missouri. They made a kind of cave. They spread limbs of 

♦Told by Many-Fox. 
tTold by Elk. 



THE MOURNING LOVER. I7I 

trees upon the top of the opening. They then laid fresh meat of deer 
or rabbit, which had been skinned, upon the Hmbs. Here these people 
stayed several days, catching eagles. They would hide in the cave, 
while one man would watch out. The magpies were the first birds to 
come and eat of the meat that tbey had placed upon the top of the cave. 
Then, when the magpies flew away they knew that an eagle was com- 
ing. They caught several eagles. 

One afternoon the Sioux marched down from the hills, where 
they had been discovered. The Sioux saw that they could not do any- 
thing to the eagle catchers, for they were in a cave, so they tried to be 
friendly with them. They asked them for some eagle feathers. The 
leader of the party now went out and gave them some eagle feathers, 
walking backwards when he left them. There were some young men 
among the Sioux who wanted to fight. The Sioux attacked the 
Arikara. The leader kept all the young men in the cave and made 
them load their muzzle-loading guns, while he stayed at a certain dis- 
tance from the bank, and the first man to attack them on horseback he 
killed. He would throw away his empty gun and the boys would pass 
a loaded one to him. He would then start to another place on the bank, 
and again the first man on horseback to come toward him he would 
shoot and kill. Thus he kept up the fire, killing several. The Sioux 
finally gave up and retreated. In the night the hunters crawled out of 
the cave, took scalps from the Sioux, and returned to their village with 
scalps. 

79. THE MOURNING LOVER.* 

A man named Rolling-Log courted an Arikara woman, but she 
would not have him. One day a whole lot of Arikara men got together, 
and prepared to go hunting. Rolling-Log was one of them. This 
woman whom Rolling-Log wanted to marry went to him and said, 
"If you will bring home to me enough sinew to last a whole year I will 
marry you." Rolling-Log said that he would try to get enough, for 
he wanted to marry this woman. He went south and killed many deer, 
black tails, and antelope. Rolling-Log got about twenty-four sinews, 
and he thought this was enough for the woman ; so he went home. 

While the hunters were on the chase Rolling-Log's girl had be- 
come sick and died. When Rolling-Log came home he at once went 
over in the evening, where the girl had lived. He had the sinew for 
the girl, and he stood outside in front of the entrance, waiting for the 



*Told by Two-Hawks. 



\y2 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

girl to come out. A man by the name of Red-Horse came out, and 
Rolling-Ivog asked Red-Horse if his girl was inside. Red-Horse stood 
still for some time, and said, ''My friend, the girl that you speak of 
died while you were out hunting." Rolling-Log stood there, surprised 
to hear that his girl was dead. He went back to his lodge and scolded 
his people because they had not told him that the girl was dead. He 
felt so bad that he went among the hills and never returned to the 
Arikara camp. 

80. CONTEST BETWEEN THE BEAR AND THE BULL SOCIETIES.* 

A long time ago, when the Arikara used to have the medicine 
ceremonies, there was the Bear family on the north and the Buffalo 
family on the south, inside the lodge. There were certain days and 
nights for the Bear people to perform their wonders ; then there were 
days and nights for the Bufifalo people to perform their wonders. 

In this Buffalo society there were two buffalo scalps, with horns. 
The two Buffalo men who wore these buffalo scalps were painted up 
and medicine was put upon them. These scalps were put upon them. 
They went out of the lodge, and the people played with the Buffalo 
men through the village. On one of these occasions the Buffalo were 
running after the people in the village, and one young man in the Bear 
family filled up a pipe and gave it to the leader of the Bear family. 
This young man made a request of the leader of the Bear family that 
he would like to challenge the Buffalo to fight. The leader of the Bear 
family did not want to give his consent to do this, for it was not the 
right thing to do. But the man insisted, so the leader of the Bear 
family gave his consent to the young man to fight. The young man was 
told to fill the pipe with tobacco and to take the pipe to the Buffalo 
family ; that in presenting the pipe he must first tell the Buffalo family 
tihat the pipe given to them was a challenge to fight the Buffalo man. 
The young man took the pipe over and presented it to the leader of 
the Buffalo society, telling him that he 'had come over there with a 
pipe to challenge the Buffalo to a fight with the Bear family. The 
Buffalo leader objected to this, telling the young man that it was 
something unusual, and that although they had always shown their 
powers to the people, this hidden mystery of having power of the ani- 
mals would have to be given to the two fighters. The young man in- 
sisted until at last the Buffalo leader gave his consent. 

The leading Buffalo man now sent for the Buffalo man. who was 
outside, who had the buffalo scalp on. This man with the buffalo scalp 

♦Told by Standing-Bull. 



CONTEST BETWEEN BEAR AND BULL SOCIETIES. 1 73 

came into the lodge. He was told to go outside and wash himself and 
to take a sharp stick and get all the dirt out of his toenails and finger- 
nails ; then, after washing, he was to roll in the dust, then come into 
the lodge. After entering the lodge the Buffalo family took their drum 
and began to sing sacred songs, while the leading Buffalo man took 
his medicines and placed some of them upon hot coals that were brought 
by the errand man. The Buffalo man, who wore the buffalo scalp, was 
told to pass this smoke all over his body. Then medicines were put 
upon his body, and paint — even the scalp of the buffalo with the horns 
was passed through the smoke and medicines were put upon lit. The 
singing continued, so that when they were through with the painting 
and putting upon the Buffalo of the medicine, a certain one was sent 
to the Bear family to say that all was ready. While the Buffalo people 
were carrying on their singing the Bear family were also carrying on 
their medicine preparations. 

The Bear and the Buffalo family now went out of the lodge, each 
carrying their drums, their rattles, and all their medicines. The Bear 
family sat on the north side in an open place. The Buffalo sat on the 
south. Each family now sang its medicine song. Then the Bear man 
came forth with a bear robe over his body, growling and acting the 
part of a Bear. The Buffalo man went forth with a buffalo scalp upon 
his head. The Buffalo man rolled on the ground, shaking himself, so 
that the buffalo scalp stuck on to the head of the man, although it was 
not fastened on his head, causing him to act the part of a real Buffalo, 
The people could see the Bear when it stood up, and that the Bear man 
had made the tusks come out of his mouth. The Bear family had put 
on the greatest medicine that they had, and so had all the Buffalo 
family. While the Bear was sitting around trying to get a chance at 
the Buffalo, the Buffalo seemed to have been the quicker, for it ran up 
to the Bear and hooked it before it could turn around. Again and 
again it hooked the Bear, until the Bear man was killed. 

The Bear people took their man iinto the lodge, and the Buffalo 
people also returned into their lodge. It was announced through the 
lodge of the Bears that the young man was killed for all time, and 
that the Bear family did not get mad about it, for it was his own fault, 
as he had wanted to challenge the Buffalo man. The young man was 
buried. Ever after that, when the people were holding their medicine- 
lodge and perfonning their mysteries, the chiefs of the animals in 
the lodge never challenged one another while the performances were 
going on. 



174 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

81. HOW WHITE-BEAR CAME TO BELONG TO THE BEAR SOCIETY.* 

White-Bear is my son. He has the spirit of the Bear. I will tell 
you how it happened : I was in the medicine-lodge when my wife was 
pregnant. I used to put on the bear robe that was wonderful and I 
used to try to catch people, that I might cut them open, so I could get 
a piece of liver from them. My doing this made my son have the 
spirit of the Bear. So when he was born, in nursing, the boy's mouth 
showed froth, and he made a noise like a young bear. I went hunting 
and killed a young bear. I skinned the bear, took the hide home, and 
had it tanned. In the Bear dances the boy, White-Bear, wore the robe. 
White-Bear stayed in the medicine-lodge. 

One time the Ankara were about to have their yearly medicine 
dance. As they had brought willows and cottonwood branches to 
build their lodges White-Bear, who was then biit three years old, picked 
up a butcher knife and went out to play. The boy fell upon the knife. 
The knife handle struck the ground, the point upward, striking the 
boy on the belly. The knife cut deep. White-Bear got up and ran to 
the tipi, crying. I saw the boy coming, holding his intestines in his 
hands. I picked up the boy and took him into the tipi. I now laid the 
boy across my lap, and with ease put the intestines back into their 
place. The relatives and mother were mourning. I took some medi- 
cine and put upon the cut place, and bandaged it with buffalo hide. 
I still held the boy upon my lap. The boy cried. The mother was 
called and nursed the child. The child nursed like a bear. Froth 
came out from his mouth, and I unbandaged the child. I took the 
froth from the child's mouth and put it upon the cut. The child became 
better. In a few days the child was much better. I then took the bear 
robe and put it upon the child's back. The child could not straighten 
out. The bear robe was left upon him for several days. As the child 
got better he got to making noises like a cat. Now, the child began to 
try to walk, and went out. Children were sent for, so that the boy 
might see them. They came and played with the boy, for the boy had 
on the bear robe. The child grew up and acted like a bear. In their 
Bear ceremonies the boy stayed with me and much sleight-of-hand 
was performed upon him. As he grew up he had ways like a bear. 

One time the boy, while in the medicine lodge, had visions of a 
bear. He told me, and I was glad of this and encouraged the boy to 
remain in the lodge. The boy is that young man sitting there. He is 
now a man and has a big scar upon his belly. He is a Bear by birth, 
but as we now have no more Bear dances he does not show the ways 
of a bear. 

*Told by Strike-Enemy. 



TALE OF A MEMBER OF THE BEAR SOCIETY. 1/5 

82. THE TALE OF A MEMBER OF THE BEAR SOCIETY.^ 

You heard what my father said about my belonging to the Bear 
Society. It is true. I used to stay in the medicine-men's lodge and 
inside of the Bear's lodge. I learned many things aibout the mysteries 
of the Bear Society. My father gave me a bear skin that was stuffed, 
so that it was like a bear. When we had a Bear dance my little bear 
used to be placed on the south side of the lodge and I would be placed 
opposite. When the singing for dancing was begun I danced, and as 
I danced I would notice my little bear doing the same thing that I was 
doing. If I moved my head sidewise, it would do the same thing. If 
I raised up my arms towards the sky, the little bear would do the same 
thing. People saw it. I kept the bear a long time. Only a few years 
ago it became spoiled. The little bear, which was part of my life, was 
now old, so that the hide was easily torn. My father thought it was 
best to dispose of it, so one day we took the little bear yonder among 
those hills, and we placed it in a ravine, where there was a bush of 
choke-cherries, and there we left it. 

Some years ago one of my friends, a young man who was a great 
hunter, asked me to go hunting with him, and I agreed to go. I caught 
my pony and saddled it. This pony was a good runner. xA-t this time 
there were many Sioux in our country, so I had to be careful which 
pony I rode while hunting. I took upon my pony some things to eat, 
and a rifle that my father had given me. I had also many cartridges. 
The other young man came to my lodge, and I was surprised to see 
him upon a white pony, which I knew could not run. I tried to per- 
suade him to get a better pony, but he would not change, for the white 
pony, he said, would not run away. We started and crossed the Mis- 
souri River. We went over yonder hills. We started early in the morn- 
ing and we went far over those hills. We did not see any deer all day. 
Towards evening we got to a draw, where there were some trees. 
There we unsaddled our ponies and made camp. We lariated our 
ponies some distance from where we were. Far into the night I heard 
the horses snorting. I reached for my gun, went to the other man, 
and tried .to wake him. He was sleeping soundly, so I left him and 
crawled up to where the ponies were, dragging my gun as I went on. 
I noticed that there was a man standing in the shadow of a hill. My 
pony kept on snorting. I saw the man. so I crawled back to our place 
and woke my friend. We crawled up to the ponies, and as we ap- 
proached them we saw the man coming. The pony was now snorting 



♦Told by White-Bear. 



176 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 

furiously. I told the other man to have his gun ready ; that I would 
go up and meet the man ; that if he should see anything wrong he should 
shoot. I rose and walked toward the man. As I rose the man ran, 
and as it was moonlight we knew from his running that he was a 
Scalped-Man. We had heard of this man wearing a wolf hide, so we 
let him go, and we went back to our camp. I told my friend that he 
could sleep and I would watch the rest of the night, for I could not go 
to sleep. The next morning, while I was dishing out some pemmican, 
I told my friend that I had always had a liking for bears ; and that I 
would like to see one. He promised to let me see one. 

After we had eaten a bite we went on further west. We found 
some deer. My friend thought that he, being an experienced hunter, 
could kill where others could not. He shot at the deer several times, 
but he never killed any. He was discouraged. We saw a deer at a 
distance. I then asked if I might try my luck on this fine deer. He 
allowed me to shoot at it. We were out of meat, and I was very hungry 
for fresh meat. As I neared the deer I crawled up to it and shot it. 
I broke both of its hind legs, so that it could not run. We killed it, 
then went into camp again. That night we had to watch, for we were 
now in a country where there were many rattlesnakes. The next 
morning we went further west into canyons, where we had to watch 
every step we took, for there were many rattlesnakes. The other man 
did not seem to care about them, but I did. I would not go any fur- 
ther, for I was afraid of snakes. I returned to our camp. I heard sev- 
eral shots, and after a while I saw my friend coming. He had killed 
three deer. We took our ponies and brought the meat to our camp. 
The next day we started for home. On our way home I saw at long 
distance what seemed to be a horse. I told my friend. As we went 
nearer to the supposed horse I saw that it stood up like a man. I told 
my friend about it. He looked, and said that it was a bear, saying, 
"Here is a chance for you to see a bear." We now unloaded our ponies. 
He told me to remain behind with the meat and his pony, for he rode 
my pony, taking his rifle with him. I saw him coming back, for the 
bear was now after him. The bear ran back, and I saw a young bear 
sitting at a distance. The bear got to its young and embraced it, as 
much as to say, "My child, we are lost." Then my man went for it 
again. He shot at it, but still the bear would run after him. Finally 
the man ran the bear towards me, and I got upon the pony's back and 
I had to whip the pony hard to make it go. I felt scared, for if the bear 
had kept on after me it would have got me. The bear ran back to its 
young, so I felt safe. My friend now attacked the bear, and he shot 



TALE OF A MEMBER OF THE BEAR SOCIETY. I77 

at it, hitting it. The bear ran after the man, but it turned back and 
went into the brush. We went down, and found a pond on the side 
of the brush, where the bear had gone. I undressed, took only my 
knife, and waded into the pond. My man remained on the side of the 
pond, ready to shoot the bear, and was telHng me that as soon as the 
bear jumped at me I should dive, and keep on in the same direction. 
I crossed the pond and found the bear sitting in the bushes. The bear 
was dead. We skinned it, taking only the hide. When a bear is 
skinned and stretched out it is the perfect image of a man. 

I mounted my pony and we went on. I attacked the young bear, 
bring my ikriat rope, so I could rope it and lead it to the village. I 
ran into the brush and got hold of the bear. I tried to get my man to 
bring my larriat rope, so I could rope it and lead it to the village. I 
became tired, so I called out to my man to shoot it. He would not do 
it, so I took my knife and stabbed the young bear and killed it. I 
skinned it. Now I had two hides. I tried to put the large hide upon 
my pony, and the pony snorted at it. I finally gave the hide to my 
friend. I did wrong, for I should have asked him to put the hide upon 
his pony for me. He did not belong to the Bear Society, notwith- 
standing he was thankful for the hide. The little bear hide I put upon 
the pony. My father scolded me for giving the bear hide away. My 
little bear hide was of good size. My father had it tanned for me, and 
the hide was also decorated with paint. The bear hide also had a soft, 
feathery appearance about its head. I wore it in dances, and kept it 
by my pillow in our lodge. Only a few years ago I was visiting the 
Sioux, and while I was gone some white man came to our village. He 
saw the bear robe in our lodge. He asked how much they wanted for 
the hide, and my bear was sold to some white man. When I came back 
home I missed my bear, and asked where it was. My folks said, "We 
sold it to a white man." I was sorry, but it was all right, for we do 
not have any more Bear dances. 



ABSTRACTS. 

I. THE WOLF AND LUCKY-IMAN CREATE LAND. 

Wolf and Lucky-Man meet on shore of big lake, -where two dtidcs are swim- 
ming. Wolf challenges Lucky-Man to see who can eodttre rain loagesL Lodty- 
Man wins. Wolf sends Duck down to fetdi dirt from bottom of lake. Dock 
brings up mud, which Wolf throws in north and forms into prairie. Ladcj-Maa 
sends Duck for more mud, which he throws on south side of Wolfs land. HiHs 
aad mountains are formed and buffalo are on land. There is diannd between 
two countries created, occupied by Missouri River, 

2. THE SPIDERS GIVE BIRTH TO PEOPLE. 

Wolf and friend change Spider-Man and ^^'oman by rubbing them with wild 
sage dipped in water and teach them how to lie together. T&eir progeny are 
human beings. 

3. THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA. 

Large people on earth long ago destroyed by flood, by Nesam. People tarn 
into corn and are put into cave with animals. Nesaru tarns ear of com into 
woman and sends her to bring people from earth. Peop^ie and aniaials know 
her. Badger, Mole, and long-nos&d !Mouse offer to help her to take -peoplt cnsL 
They dig in turns. Thunder opens earth. People go out apon earth, joomejr 
wen, leaving behind Badgers, long-nosed Mice, Moles, and some people who torn 
back into earth and become animals. People come to great baan, -wfaidi Ejng- 
fisher fills up bj- striking bill into banks. Journey is cootiimed mtf3 people 
stopped by timber, which is removed by Owl. They come to big lake. Loon 
parts waters. Mother-Corn returns to heavens. People here make games, first 
shinny and then javelins, to catch ring with. Winners kill those of other side. 
Mather-Com returns to give people rules to go by. Man is selected as chiel- 
He instructs people as to scalping. Mother-Corn makes bundle, songs, ritnai. 
and ceremonies. Man instructs medicine-man, teaches them sleight-of-hand, 
and tells them to make village. Mother-Corn leads people to Republican Rrrer, 
Kansas. Awaho people come last and receive ceremonies from Mother-Corn. 
They offer smoke to gods. Dog comes to village and complains that Mother- 
Corn has left out Dog and Whirlwind. Dc^ has come from Son, who has given 
it curative power. Whirlwind is disease, and if dog meat first offered as sacrifice 
gods will send storm to drive awaj- disease. Whirlwind comes and Dog appeases 
god; and says he will be people's gaardian. Mother-Corn says gods in heavens 
are four world-quarters. They will send storm if smoke not given to them first. 
Mother-Corn is Cedar-Tree in front of lodge and Stone at right oi her is -nan 
who established ofl5ce of chiet Nesaru watches over them and gives them long 
life. 

^79 



l8o ABSTRACTS. 

4. ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA. 

Mother-Corn is assisted by Badger, Gopher, long-nosed Mouse, and Mole to 
get people out of ground, as in No. 3. People see where other people helped 
out of ground by Buffalo. They start on journey and are stopped by obstacles, 
as in No. 3, and are helped by Kingfisher, Owl, and Loon. Some people stay be- 
hind as Worms, Birds, Fish, and Loons. [Mother-Corn offers smoke and sends 
animals for offerings to gods.] Prairie-Chicken kills wild-cat, which repre- 
sents heavens, and brings it to Mother-Corn for offering. Three Stars in East 
bring Mother-Corn stone for pipe to form smoke. Pipe is made and filled with 
native tobacco. Prairie-Chicken takes pipe in succession to gods in Southeast, 
Southwest, Northwest, and Northeast, and to Nesaru, all of whom smoke the 
pipe. Prairie-Chicken says sand blown by wind made white spots on its feathers. 
Smoking by Nesaru is to show consent to Mother-Corn having people on earth 
and that gods are to protect them. Dog comes and tells Mother-Corn that Whirl- 
wind is angry for being slighted in smoke ceremony. Mother-Corn appeals to 
Nesaru and the gods for assistance. Woman says she will protect the people, 
and turns into Cedar-Tree. Big-Meteoric-Star falls from heavens by Cedar- 
Tree to assist. Whirlwind comes and people all run in all directions, and when 
Whirlwind strikes them it changes their language. People who stand on Cedar- 
Tree and Rock are Arikara. Wind strikes Mother-Corn and she vomits four 
times, water and ears of corn of different color. Whirlwind tells Mother-Corn 
It has left behind diseases, but says when they offer smoke to the gods they are 
to give it smoke last, that it may not come very often. Cedar-Tree asks Mother- 
Corn that it may be known as "Wonderful Grandmother" and be placed in front 
of the medicine-lodge. Big-Meteoric-Star asks to be known as "Wonderful 
Grandfather" and sit by Wonderful Grandmother in front of medicine-lodge. 
Dog asks, as he brought the news, to guard camps and villages and to be offered 
in ceremonies, and his fat to be used by medicine-men. Mother-Corn gives corn 
for seeds that corn may be offered to gods. People who scattered to be thtir 
enemies — to the southwest, "Sahe;" to northeast, "Pechea;" to the east, "Wooden- 
Faces ;" to south, "Witchcraft-People." Mother-Corn stay« with people until 
she has taught them bundle ceremonies. She tells them to tie all children's 
moccasins together on her back. Then they are to take her to river and throw 
her in. People do not understand and keep up singing in night. At daylight 
they find Mother-Corn has turned to ear of corn, with buffalo robe tied to it. 
People place children's moccasins with corn and throw them with Mother-Corn 
and robe into river. Many years afterwards Mother-Corn returns and teaches 
more bundle ceremony songs and finally disappears. 

5. THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA. 

Many people in cave under ground with Corn, Mother of tribe. Mother- 
Corn sends four birds to find better world, but they are unsuccessful. Long- 
nosed Mouse, or Mole, Skunk, and Badger work, and at last Badger goes through 
hole, but falls asleep. Returns in morning and Mother-Corn forces her way 
through hole followed bj' all people. They march westward. They come to wide 
water, thick forest, deep ravine in succession, which Fish, Owl, and Kingfisher 
help them to cross. They see Buffalo on open prairie and are afraid, but Mole, 
Skunk, and Badger make holes all around animal. His blood sinks into ground 



ABSTRACTS. lol 

and becomes stone, from which pipes were made. Buffalo butchered and flesh 
divided among different sacred bundles, with animal's joints. People again go 
on westward and fowls, fishes, and animals separate from them and give Mother- 
Corn power. Mother-Corn separates from animals. 

6. THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA. 

[Man Bear's-Tail relates killing of buffalo cow by father, who calls old 
woman and keeper of bundle, and describes ceremony of untying bundle. Old 
man tells origin of bundle and of people.] Nesaru makes giants, but being dis- 
pleased with them turns them into stones. Nesaru again makes people, small 
and wonderful. They displease Nesaru, who tells animals to hide. He is going 
to make water rise from earth. Animals give power to Bear to take people under 
ground, with assistance of Badger, Mole, and long-nosed Mouse. Fox acts as 
runner and errand man. People live under ground many years. Animals decide 
to dig upward for land. Bears, Badgers, Moles, and long-nosed Mice dig and 
Mole first to get his head through. Badger enlarges hole. Fox goes through 
and reports what he sees outside. Bear makes hole larger and animals go 
through, followed by people. Woman, who says she is grain of corn, tells man 
they are on island. People taken under ground by Mice were gra.ins of corn 
and now turned to people. Mouse leader. They cross water by aid of woman, 
who becomes gar-pike. Some fall into water and become fish. People pick up 
stones to cut with. Mouse leads people through thick timber. Some turn to 
owls. Earthquake forms deep chasm, which Bear enables people to cross. Whirl- 
wind makes pathway through thick timber. People come to muddy water in 
"Pawnee" country. They find things to wear and eat. First bow made. Long- 
nosed Mouse, Bear, Mole, Badger, and Fox die, and their skins with skulls are 
wrapped in bundles. They receive ceremony from Pawnee. Each bundle re- 
ceives different ritual. Arikara dress ear of corn as woman and throw it into 
river. Many years afterwards strange woman comes into lodge where bundle 
ceremony. People take no notice of her and she goes to other bundle lodges. 
In last old man recognizes her and Muddy-River-Country ceremony performed. 
Woman says that four world-quarters are her father, and that she will come to 
them in dreams and tell them about things in bundle. They are to tie her on 
bundle and clothe ear of corn. She turns into ear of corn. They send for other 
old man and tie ears of corn upon the bundles. 



7. THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA. 

Arikara live under ground. Long-nosed Mouse, Mole, Badger, and Fox 
agree to take people to top of earth. Mole digs first. Arikara come out, Fox 
leading. Earthquake, and other people held fast. People journey west and come 
to chasm caused by earth shaking, but Badger makes pathway. Mother-Corn 
in heavens asking gods to let people live. Obstructions arranged by being known 
as Sickness. People come to deep river and Loon sent by gods. Loon flies 
across river and back and dives. River is open and people cross over. Waters 
come together again and some people left on other side. Mother-Corn stops and 
says Black-Wind is angry, but Black-Meteoric-Star will help them. Tells peo- 



l82 ABSTRACTS. 

pie to get under cedar tree. Black-Wind comes and takes many people. They 
go on and come to steep mountain bank. Bear digs steps on both sides and 
people go across. Dog comes up and says his meat shall be offered to gods. His 
father is Sun, who has given him power. 

8. THE ORIGIN OF THE AWAHO-BUNDLE PEOPLE. 

People come out of ground, but some are cut off by earthquake. Heavens 
hear crying and send Mother-Corn to them. Badger digs through earth. Peo- 
ple come out and walk westward until they come to thick timber. Screech-Owl 
flies through and makes pathway. Owl and Whirlwind are enemies. People 
followed by "Cut-Nose," an animal with long horns. People run until they come 
to chasm, which Badger enables them to cross. They then come to thick ice and 
deep water, which Loon enables them to cross. Mother-Corn teaches people 
ceremonies and rituals and gives them things to put in bundles. Mother-Corn 
disappears by ear of corn wrapped in her robe under bundle. Awaho last peo- 
ple to come out of ground, and where other bands have camped they find bits 
of meat offered to gods, which they use for food. They know all ceremonies 
and teach them to others. Nearly all are killed by enemies, but bundle hid under 
bank. Women go for bundle and contents are purified. Sacrifices of meat made 
the next day. Nesaru made animals to take kernels of corn under ground. They 
were people turned to corn by Nesaru. This is why animals brought them out 
of ground and why Mother-Corn was sent by gods in heavens, who had field of 
corn. 

9. MOTHER-CORN'S VISIT TO THE ARIKARA. 

Mother-Corn tells Ankara when journeying west to dress her up and put 
her in river. When Arikara make permanent village upon Missouri River old 
men think it time to send Mother-Corn down stream. She is taken from bun- 
dle, painted, and dressed. After reciting rituals, Mother-Corn, with children's 
moccasins tied about her waist, is thrown by priests into river, her head up 
stream. Many years afterwards woman comes to village and is recognized by 
man as Mother-Corn. She teaches them ceremonies and songs and that night 
disappears. 

ID. MOTHER-CORN'S VISIT TO THE ARIKARA. 

In olden times, old man made offerings to gods and Mother-Corn. Mother- 
Corn is pleased to have smoke with people and starts from east to visit them. 
She goes into medicine-lodge. She stays many days and teaches them many 
lessons, but people are hungry for meat. Mother-Corn asks woman to make 
moccasins for her. She puts on moccasins and they wear out when she walks 
slowly twenty steps. This takes place four times, but fourth pair brings her back 
to altar. Her walk means that she has walked long way off in west, and way 
very hard. She tells people she has seen buffalo and that they will be seen in 
four days. In morning of fourth day they kill many buffalo, but while they are 
away, enemies attack village and Mother-Corn is killed. They bury her and 
from place where she is laid, grass, etc., springs up. 



ABSTRACTS. 183 

II. HOW THE PEOPLE ESCAPED THE BUFFALO. 

When people came out through ground they were led by woman, "Mother." 
Among them were all kinds of animals except bufifalo. Monster with horns like 
buffalo comes out of lake. They call him "Cut-Nose." As it comes along, buffalo 
come from under him. Buffalo catch up with people and kill some of them. 
People make canyons beliind, which buffalo can not cross. Whirlwind comes. 
Mother tells people to give presents and smoke to it. Whirlwind scatters some 
of people. Buffalo with Cut-Nose come behind and people come to big timber. 
Owl and Badger try to make path through timber, but fail. Coyote and Dog 
come and open way through. Buffalo and Cut-Nose come again and kill peq- 
ple. They come to deep water. Dogs fail to make pathway, but Loons make 
opening through waters. They come to canyon and Badger makes banks fall, 
after Kingfisher and Mole have failed. They cross and make' village near can- 
yon. Mother holds ceremonies for different bundles. Awaho-bundle people come 
last, and they receive all ceremonies. Awaho had been left behind when people 
came out of ground, and they pick up meat offerings to gods left behind. 

12. WHY THE BUFFALO NO LONGER EAT PEOPLE. 

Young man goes to village at night and finds people are Buffalo. They are 
talking about killing people. He finds human head and meat. Hears people are 
to be got out of ground and killed. Near by sees hole cut in side of hill where 
bulls circle around and drive people into cut. He sees people running to cut 
from out of ground. He goes among hills. Strange man gives him bow and 
arrows and tells him to take young man with bows and arrows to kill and scat- 
ter Buffalo. They go to place and attack Buffalo and kill and scatter them, so 
that they become buffalo and never eat people any more. 

13. WHY THE BUFFALO NO LONGER EAT PEOPLE. 

People hungry and chief priest opens bundle and offers gifts to gods for 
them to send buffalo. Buffalo come three days after ceremony and old priest 
tells stor>'. Buffalo are human, but have horns. When they want meat they 
recite ritual. When hollow tree is struck with pole four times people led by 
Cut-Nose come out and are killed, except Cut-Nose, who re-enters tree. Boy 
chased by Buffalo cow. He sees fine-looking woman wearing white buffalo robe. 
She goes west and boy follows. He finds woman at tipi. Woman says she has 
selected him to turn her people into real buffalo, so as not to eat his people. 
They go through four circles of Buffalo-bulls stationed as sentinels and enter 
tipi, where woman's father lives. She covers young man with her robe. Buffalo 
are human, but have horns and tails. They cook and eat human meat. Girl 
shows him arbors with human bodies, and hollow cottonwood tree, with long 
stick, and tells him its use. Takes him to timber, where during three days he 
makes bows and arrows. Next morning they place bows and arrows at foot of 
tree. Woman tells young man what to do and they hide. When Buffalo come 
towards tree, young man jumps out. Cut-Nose comes out, and then people. 
Young man gives men bows and arrows and tells them to shoot and kill Buffalo. 
Buffalo run towards village, chased by people, and they finally become buffalo. 
Young man and Buffalo woman take bundle from tipi. They marry and teach 
people songs and ceremony of bundle. People become part of Arikara. 



184 ABSTRACTS. 

14. THE GIRL WHO MARRIED A STAR. 

Girl says she likes red star and would marry him if on earth. In morning 
girl sees Porcupine and climbs after it in cottonwood tree. Tree grows higher 
and girl reaches another world. Porcupine turns into man and says he is Star. 
She stays with him, but cries every night. She gives birth to male child, who 
has star on forehead. Son wants wild turnips and man tells her not to dig for 
them in valleys. She digs in valley and stick runs through earth. She looks 
down and sees she is far away from her people. Woman tells her to get from 
husband sinews of whole buffalo and she will make sinew string to reach ground 
below. Girl gets sinew from husband, who forgets two sinews in shoulder. Old 
woman imakes string and girl also makes long sinew string. They go to valley 
and girl takes child on back under robe, slips down string fastened to stick across 
hole. She reaches height of highest tree from ground. Husband sees her hang- 
ing and kills her with stone. Boy slips out of robe and falls on ground, but is 
not hurt. Boy nurses at dead mother's breast. He goes to cornfield. Old 
woman catches him and takes him home as grandson. Grandmother scatters 
corn in lodge for blackbirds and places mush behind curtain. Boy calls black- 
birds and kills them all with club. Grandmother brings them to life again and 
tells them to fly all over the world. She tells boy to throw wood into pond and 
next morning finds black bow and four black arrows. Boy sees big serpent be- 
hind curtain and kills it with bow and arrow and serpent slips into pond. Ser- 
pent is grandmother's husband. Next day old woman tells boy not to go to 
dangerous place. He goes and sees mountain-lion, which obeys him. He leads 
lion to old woman's lodge. The same occurs with a cinnamon bear. Boy sees 
four wonderful men killing buffalo. They frighten him with foetus of calf. He 
climbs tree and they place foetus in fork. They offer to take calf down if he 
will give grandmother to them. He returns and tells her he is satisfied, but says 
they would have to give him something in return. They promise him bow and 
arrows and old woman tells him to take middle bow of five leaning against wall 
of lodge. Men go to grandmother's lodge and stay with her. Old woman sends 
boy with flute to play around men's lodge. Men all scared and close up lodge 
with earth. They die of hunger. Boy goes to den of snakes. Snakes give him 
long gut to eat, but it is snake, and he twists its head off. Snakes go into ground 
and try to get into boy's rectum, but hit rock on which he sits. They tell stories. 
Snakes all go to sleep on long circular stick around den. Boy with flint knife 
cuts heads on stick, but last one wakes up and disappears in hole. When boy 
sleeps he places arrows so that they can fall on him when Snake approaches him. 
Boy is very sleepy and arrows cannot awaken him. Snake goes into his mouth 
and nestles in his skull, where it remains until boy becomes skeleton. Boy's 
father sends storm and skull is filled with water, but this does not drive out 
Snake. Father gets Sun to move nearer earth and heats skull until water boils, 
and Snake crawls out. Boy catches Snake by neck, hits its snout with stone, and 
rubs its teeth upon rock. He lets it go on promise not to bother people after. 
Boy returns to grandmother and tells her country is free from wild animals. She 
disappears, and boy goes to village and tells his story. He dies after clearing 
country of all wild animals. 



ABSTRACTS. 1 85 

15. THE GIRL WHO MARRIED A STAR. 

Girl taken up to heavens by star digs turnip and sees people on earth. Old 
woman makes sinew rope and lets her and child down through hole, but rope 
too short. Husband kills her with stone, but boy safe. He goes to cornfield 
and is caught by old woman, who takes him home. He shoots huge serpent be- 
hind curtain, who was woman's husband. She plans for bear to kill him, but 
he captures bear. Boy finds tipi with four strong men playing dice game. He 
shoots through hole and cleans man's nose with arrow. He goes with them to 
hunt and they annoy him with elk's foetus. He climbs tree and men remove 
foetus from tree only on his promising them his grandmother. She goes with 
him to men's tipi and they teach boy ceremony of catching eagles and of hunt- 
ing. Boy meets camp of Snakes, all of whom but one he kills, as in No. 14. 
Surviving Snake enters anus while he sleeps and gets into head, from which it 
is driven by water boiling. Boy seizes it and knocks its head on flat rock. Boy 
afraid of foetus because cluster of stars to which boy's father belonged did not 
come up at that time with rest ; so father not present to help him. 

16. NO-TONGUE AND THE SUN AND THE MOON. 

Young man goes upon high hill to mourn. Little bird takes him to another 
place. Man, painted red, comes and says he is going to be his son and asks for 
his tongue. Young man cuts ofif his tongue and gives it to man and then falls 
dead. Moon sees him and goes and touches his feet. Young man sits up and 
Moon tells him man to whom he had given tongue is Sun. Moon makes him his 
own son and warns him that when Sun offers him choice of weapons he is to 
take old ones. Sun takes him to sky in morning and cries because No-Tongue 
takes best things, as these give boy life. Sun asks No-Tongue to send him white 
buffalo robe. Moon tells him to get dark brown robe for Sun and powder it 
with white clay. Sun hangs up robe and wind shakes all white clay out of it. 
Sun tells Moon his Little-Sun is going to kill No-Tongue. Moon warns No- 
Tongue and advises him what to do. No-Tongue goes with party on war-path 
and Sun plans for Little-Sun to kill him. Little-Sun with enemy and in morn- 
ing asks No-Tongue to shake hands with him. No-Tongue goes and kills Little- 
Sun and his people defeat enemy. Sun sends son Big-Sun to kill No-Tongue, 
but is killed himself. Sun becomes Buffalo to kill No-Tongue, but falls into 
mud hole. No-Tongue makes fire on his back and Buffalo burns up. Sun tells 
Moon he will scalp No-Tongue. Moon tells No-Tongue to put false scalp over 
head with dog's blood inside. Sun comes and takes scalp. Seeing that No- 
Tongue is not really scalped. Sun leaves him alone. When old and blind No- 
Tongue goes to top of hill and makes circle of red sticks for Sun and circle of 
white sticks for Moon. Sun and Moon come and Sun takes old man to his home. 

17. HOW BURNT-HANDS BECAME A CHIEF. 

Poor boy, Burnt-Hands, lives with grandmother outside of village. Last- 
Child, daughter of chief, brings them food. Burnt-Hands follows trail of 
wounded elk and finds it dead. Chiefs Red-Bear and Black-Bear come. Red- 
Bear shoots boy and drops him into air-hole in ice. White-Bear's cub takes 



l86 ABSTRACTS. 

boy ito father. Father pities and adopts him as son and teaches him Bear cere- 
mony. Burnt-Hands receives bundle of medicine and goes home. Notice given 
for buffalo hunt and that Red-Bear v^rants hide of white buffalo. Burnt-Hands 
goes with young men to chase. He gets white buffalo robe, as Red-Bear afraid 
of him. When he reaches camp he eats meat prepared for Red-Bear. Burnt- 
Hands takes white buffalo hide to grandmother, who gives it to Last-Child. Elk 
chase is made to get teeth for Red-Bear. Burnt-Hands promises grandmother 
elk-tooth dress and tells her in case of trouble to flee to timber. Burnt-Hands 
goes to chase and collects many elk teeth and so does Red-Bear. They meet 
at last elk. Burnt-Hands strikes Red-Bear on head with war-club and drags 
him to air-hole. Burnt-Hands finds grandmother and they perform Bear cere- 
mony. They turn into Bears and attack warriors, killing many. Others send 
peace-pipe by Last-Child and it is accepted. Burnt-Hands makes grandmother 
thirty-eight years old and himself twenty-two, and marries Last-Child. Burnt- 
Hands becomes chief and has Black-Bear as slave. 



i8. HOW BURNT-HANDS BECAME A CHIEF. 

Poor boy goes on war-path with warriors. Grandmother says he is not to 
tell coyote stories and gives him round burnt clay ball that has handle. When 
hungry he is to put kernels of corn on ball and roast them. Boy asked to tell 
coyote stories, but refuses. He roasts corn upon clay ball and then tells stories. 
Enemy comes and men are scared. When boy has finished eating corn he at- 
tacks enemy with clay ball, which is war-club, and kills many. Enemy run 
away. Burnt-Hands made chief and given good tipi and wife. 



19. HOW BURNT-HANDS BECAME A CHIEF. 

Poor boy tells grandmother to make him bow and arrows that he may join 
buffalo hunt. He says he will bring back some tongues and hearts. Boy sings 
about being selected to stand in front and make motions to direct hunters, and 
he is selected. He kills buffalo and turning back pulls out buffalo beards and 
bunch of hair from shoulder. His robe is taken and he sings about snowstorm 
coming. He goes to grandmother and throws hairs on ground and several 
tongues and hearts appear. Blizzard kills many men who had made fun of 
young man. On next buffalo chase he again stands in front and is first to kill 
buffalo. He takes hair as before and it becomes tongues and hearts. People 
find out boy is wonderful, and give him pony. He marries chief's daughter, and 
becomes great warrior and chief. 

20. THE TWO BOYS AND THE WATER-SERPENT. 

Two boys are accused of eating up pots of corn. They watch at night near 
inclosure surrounding village .and see long serpent come and stick its head into 
smoke-hole of lodges. Next day they make many arrows and at night when 
serpent has its head in lodge they shoot at it. Serpent goes to river, water of 
which roars and rises, and serpent is found dead when river goes down. 



ABSTRACTS. 1 87 

21. THE BOY WHO BEFRIENDED THE THUNDERBIRDS, AND THE 

SERPENT. 

Boy gifted with powers by four-world-quarter gods kills so many antelope 
he is called Antelope-Carrier. Wood-Rats have given him bow and four differ- 
ently colored arrows. He wanders from home, and while asleep two Thunder- 
birds carry him up high mountain. He finds nest with four young Thunderbirds. 
Mother Thunderbird comes and tells him of serpent with two heads that lives 
in lake and eats her young. She promises him lightning and control of all birds 
if he will help to kill monster. He promises and Thunderbird, after telling him 
when serpent would come out of lake, flies away. Fog rises from lake one day 
and boy sees monster with two heads crawling out of lake. Storm comes from 
west and Thunderbirds return, making lightning, which strikes serpent. Light- 
ning throws it back, but it again crawls up. Monster opens its mouth to swal- 
low boy. He shoots black arrow into its mouth. Monster falls and bursts open. 
Other head comes and boy shoots red arrow into its mouth and head broken in 
pieces. Thunderbirds come with all kinds of birds, which feast upon serpent. 
They give boy power as objects which he swallows. Boy chief of all birds and 
kills all bad animals. Two boys, joined together with rawhide, go to shoot birds. 
One shoots at white object, like mushroom, moving up and down and strong 
wind carries them far away to an island. They go west and come to lodge of 
old woman. She makes cakes, four for the great serpent, who will carry them 
across by water. Serpent comes and carries them across, stopping each day 
when hungry. They give it cake and soft-shell turtle (lice) from its head. Wild 
boy jumps before they come to land and is swallowed by serpent. Other boy 
asks serpent to open its mouth wide and he drags swallowed boy out. Boys 
travel to Missouri River bottom. They put log of wood on fire and it is ser- 
pent. Foolish boy eats chunk of meat and he gradually turns to serpent. Other 
boy takes him to Missouri River and turns him loose there. Antelope-Carrier 
hears of serpent and hunts him with all his birds. Serpent uses his power and 
carries him into his den. Antelope-Carrier is made to vomit up all his power, 
except lightning in his eyes. Serpent remains in river and gives its powers to 
people, and songs and medicine-men's ceremony. 

22. THE BOY WHO TURNED INTO A SNAKE. 

Idiot boy and son of chief go on war-path. They have to return through 
want of food, and oome to water-serpent. It is so big they can not get around 
it, and idiot proposes to burn it. Serpent burns in two. Idiot eats of serpent 
meat and his body gradually becomes colored red and blue. By fourth day his 
legs are grown together and become snake's tail. Other boy carries him to lake, 
where fishes object to him, and finally they come to the Missouri River. He 
rests in middle of river and people by giving him presents cross over without 
danger of drowning. 

23. THE BOY WHO RECEIVED THE MOUSE POWER. 

Young man stays behind when people go hunting. He goes through village 
and hears crying. He goes to lodge and sees woman wrapped in buffalo robe, 
who tells him people have taken her children. She says they are in sacred 



loo ABSTRACTS. 

bundle robe, and asks him to go and bring her children back. He does so and 
gives nest with children to woman. She tells him to return at night and then 
becomes mouse. Young man goes to lodge at night and finds woman there. 
Rats come in human form and priest gives him war-club and power to become 
mouse at any time, and little box of medicine. Woman tells him he is now her 
son and says they are not to kill mice as they are his relatives. Young man 
becomes great warrior. In enemy's camp he turns into mouse and drives ponies 
out of camp after cutting ropes. He becomes so bold that people become afraid 
of him, but finally he and young man who has power of Bear fight and kill one 
another. 

24. THE BOY AND THE YOUNG HAWKS. 

Small boy discovers hawk's nest with four eggs. Eggs are hatched and 
boy feeds birds with insects. Boy goes to take birds home when he sees man 
who calls birds his sons and says he will be rewarded for taking care of them. 
Boy takes feathers from young birds to put on his arrows. He becomes good 
hunter and on war-path fights where the arrows are thickest. He becomes 
known as brave, but finally does wrong among his people. Many try to kill 
him, but always forget, until one man capable of killing him does so. 

25. THE END OF THE ELK POWER. 

Four strong young men, of whom only oldest is married, go to trap eagles, 
leaving woman and child at home. On their return woman is missing. Eldest 
unmarried brother is filled with pity for child and goes to cry near timber, 
where is old skull of buck elk. On second night voice tells him woman and 
three others captured by Bear and that he has received Elk power. He is to go 
again and receive instructions. Pretty-Voice goes again and learns ceremony 
of Elks. He is to blow whistle and all females will come to him. He goes 
near Bear's home and whistles four times. Women run out of den and they 
go away with Pretty- Voice. Bear follows and he orders party to stop. Pretty- 
Voice shoots arrows at Bear without effect. He then throws himself on ground 
and becomes Elk. Elk and Bear fight, and Bear admits his defeat. Elk again 
becomes man and Pretty-Voice wins great honor by capture of women. He 
causes ill-feeling by using his magic whistle to attract girls and then married 
women. Men shoot at him, but nothing can harm him. Sioux attack village, but 
they can do nothing while Pretty- Voice is living. Men come on friendly visit 
and Pretty- Voice secures Sioux girl by his ceremony. She gets to know secret 
of his power and then runs away. She obtains necessary things and then starts 
at head of war-party to kill Pretty-Voice. Inhabitants of village are defeated 
and Pretty-Voice finally falls. His mother wishes to collect his flesh, as he had 
told her, but men will not let her. They make big fire and destroy his body. 
White fog seen to arise from place for many days after. 

26. THE ELK RESCUES A WOMAN FROM THE BEAR. 

Poor young man and chief's daughter run away together. They live alone 
and man kills deer and elk. He goes to catch eagles and while away Bear 
comes and takes wife away. Elk tells man and teaches him how to transform 



ABSTRACTS. 1 89 

himself into Elk. Gives him whiatle to attract female elk. Bear leaves den 
and man blows whistle. Wife and other women rush out to him. Bear comes 
and attacks Elk, wihich puts its head down and sticks horns into body. Man 
shoots and kills Bear. Man takes his wife and Elk other women, who become 
Elk. 

27. THE BOY AND THE ELK. 

Young man goes to place where animal skull near lake to cry because no 
girl will marry him. He hears flute and Elk comes. Elk tells boy to take teeth 
from skull and gives him flute which will attract girls to him. He goes home, 
tries flute, and girls come. After he is married, women also come and men kill 
him. One of his relatives takes teeth and flute. Boy is left unburied and sev- 
eral days afterwards he goes to mother's tipi. He sends mother to society of 
Young-Dogs for tobacco. Men afraid of him. Boy goes away followed by 
relatives. They go into river and all turn into animals. Young man who had 
flute and elk teeth does not go and is the only one who lives. 

28. THE COYOTE, THE GIRL, AND THE MAGIC WINDPIPE. 

Beautiful girl lives alone in timber. Has plenty of buffalo meat and some 
wonderful bundles. Coyote becomes her errand man. When out of meat girl 
tells Coyote to cover his head up as her brothers are coming. Girl waves 
buffalo windpipe over smoke and dust in it turns to her seven brothers. They 
take bows and arrows and girl goes on to lodge, yells and waves towards west 
and south. Buffalo come and brothers kill them. They return to lodge and 
girl puts them again into windpipe as dust. Coyote sees performance and de- 
cides to steal windpipe. Coyote goes away with windpipe, and while he sleeps 
girl has brothers bring him back again. This occurs three times. Fourth time 
girl lets Coyote carry thing off. He goes up hill near village and howls for 
people to come and kick with him. Several young men go and Coyote turns 
windpipe upside down, but, instead of dust and boys, swarm of bumblebees come 
out. Young men run into timber, bees go into hollow tree, and Coyote goes 
away as coyote. 

29. THE BUFFALO-WIFE AND THE JAVELIN GAME. 

Young man out hunting dreams of two buffalo bulls turning into sticks and 
of buffalo cow turning into ring. In morning he sees oow and lies with her. 
Finds ring in grass and wears it on his wrist. He makes sticks and plays game 
with young men, winning many things. Goes hunting and sees old woman, who 
induces him to carry her across river on his back. He can not throw her off and 
he goes home with her fast to his back. Medicine-men are sent for, but they 
can do nothing. Poor boy puts on old robe and goes to young man's lodge 
with bow and four arrows of different colors. He shoots black arrow and 
splits woman in two. With red arrow he takes her off boy. The other arrows 
he places on boy's back to remove sore place. Old woman is then burned. 
Next day crying and voice are beard near where woman burned. Young man 
finds ring has gone. White tipi with woman and child inside appears where 
others were. Young man goes to see it and woman with new buffalo robe 
passes by him, having child. Young man makes bundle of eagle feathers and 



igO ABSTRACTS. 

follows them. They become buffalo. Calf communicates with father, and 
woman finally becomes reconciled to him. They come to hill on which Buffalo 
bull, boy's grandfather, is waiting for them. Man puts two eagle feathers on 
his horns. He sends them on to next hill and at last they come to hill with 
four Buffalo bulls, chiefs of Buffalo camp. Man puts feathers on their heads. 
They are sent into village and Buffalo become mad .because man has. not 
feathers enough to go around. Man made to sit on hill until they decide 
what to do with hi-m. He sticks flint knife into ground and asks gods to form 
stone around where he sits. Buffalo devise various ways for killing him, but 
do not succeed in doing so. They decide to send man with Buffalo cow and calf 
to Indian village for presents. Buffalo bull turns man into Buffalo. Buffalo 
follow them. Man finds village and tells errand. People bring eagle feathers 
and native tobacco, which man takes to Buffalo. Buffalo willing to be slaugh- 
tered and man tells chiefs. Four times people go and kill Buffalo. Leader of 
Buffalo gives man sticks to play with. Sticks and ring different kinds of people. 
Man lives long life. Buffalo calf starts Buffalo ceremony among people. 

30. THE ORIGIN OF THE WOLF DANCE. 

Young man, .son of chief, refuses to marry and seven girls plan to put him 
into hole. They spread weeds over hole and young man falls in. Girls promise 
to take him out if he does certain things, but finally they leave him. He cries 
and gray Wolf hears. Wolf says he will help him, and while he is gone Bear 
comes. Wolf returns and they quarrel about boy, but finally agree that who- 
ever digs through to boy first shall claim him. Wolf gets to boy first, but Bear 
says he shall 'be his son. Wolf takes boy among Wolves and he comes to act 
like wolf. Afterward Buffalo hunters see him, but ithey cannot catch him. They 
make trap and place buffalo meat inside inclosure. Wolves are run into trap 
and four strong men with rawhide leggings are put in. Other Wolves are let out, 
but Wolf-man caught. They tie him, put him into sweat-lodge, and make him 
vomit. Wolf-man recovers and has tipi made. Seven girls who had put boy 
into hole are invited. Man goes and calls for Wolves and Bears. They come, 
and he places them about tipi. He tells girls, who try to escape, but Wolves eat 
them. Father tells people boy's story and girls' relatives do not offer to save 
them. Young man finally becomes chief. He starts Wolf dance. 

31. MEDICINE DANCE OF THE BEAVER, TURTLE, AND WITCH- 
WOMAN. 

Animals meet for sleight-of-hand performances. Only Beaver, soft-shell 
Turtle, and Witch-Woman are to perform. Beaver gnaws nearly through three of 
lodge posts and people ask him to stop, as they think lodge will fall. Turtle 
sticks knife near left collar bone and water pours out all over lodge. People 
are afraid and Turtle takes all water back again. Witch-Woman plays with 
gun, but calls for help and gives birth to child, who is to be great medicine-man. 

32. THE VILLAGE-BOY AND THE WOLF POWER. 

Four girls are made fun of for dancing with their brother. "Village-Boy" 
has never gone on war-path. Boy goes to graveyard to mourn. Wolf comes and 
asks why he is crying. Wolf tells boy to join next war-party and he will lead 



ABSTRACTS. I9I 

him to enemy's camp. War-party starts and Village-Boy follows in three days. 
Wolf has taught him secret powers and when he comes to ravine he rolls on the 
ground and becomes wolf. He barks and friend brings him burnt bones, which 
he gnaws. Next day he tells friend enemy's camp is near. He drives in ponies. 
When enemy is attacked Village-Boy is in lead and takes scalp. He gives scalp 
to leader and returns ahead of war-party, but says nothing. Leader gives all 
credit to Village-Boy. Scalp dance held. Young man's sisters dance without 
fear of ridicule. He goes east with warriors and takes head of medicine-man of 
Dumb People. Head dries and is used for medicine purposes. Now about size 
of hen's egg. 

33- THE RABBIT BOY. 

Young man who has not been on war-path mourns on graveyard hill. Re- 
mains there several days in storm. Jack-Rabbit crawls under his robe. Eagle 
comes and asks for Rabbit. Rabbit promises him powers if he will save him. 
Eagle promises him scalps if he will turn Rabbit loose. Boy refuses and Eagle 
flies away. Rabbit says he will make young man great warrior and gives him 
war-club, rabbit-skin, and medicine paints. Boy returns home. He follows 
war-party and acts as scout. Goes and brings ponies from enemy's village. At- 
tack is made on enemy's camp. Rabbit-Boy kills old man and goes through 
village and escapes. Sees pretty girl who watches him. Soon after they go 
again to village. Boy kills man and again sees girl. Girl gives Arikara woman 
captive moccasins, beaded bracelets, and beaded armlet to take to young man. 
Woman gives him things and young man at once starts for enemy's camp. He 
goes to girl's tipi, puts in his hand, and she recognizes ihim by bracelet. He 
sleeps with girl and father finds them in bed together. Father sends for war- 
riors, who pepare to kill young man. He is saved by new-comer, who is glad 
he has married one of their girls, as he will now lead their people. They go on 
war-path to young man's country. He kills captive woman and gives her 
scalp to chief. This happens several times and young man never kills members 
of his own tribe. The two tribes make peace. 



34. THE MAN AND THE WATER-DOGS. 

People in large village are afraid of man who commits evil deeds. They 
make plot to seize him. They attack him and he walks towards river. He 
steps in and walks on bottom and sees tipi. He goes in and sees many dogs. 
Leader tells him not to be afraid of any man and if hurt he is to come to them. 
Man returns home and men afraid. He commits worse acts than before and 
his relatives aod his wife's relatives separate from the village. People dare not 
fight with man. 

35. THE FIVE TURTLES AND THE BUFFALO DANCE. 

Five soft-shell Turtles go to village. Four of them have eagle feathers on 
head. Fifth has black feather and is so angry it goes to river. Four turtles die 
and they are made into drums, which are afterwards changed for rawhide drums. 
Buffalo dance organized. Mysterious being with magpie feathers growing on 



192 ABSTRACTS. 

his head et qui falsum penem inter crura habebat dances. Girl not permitted to 
leave lodge while my&terious being dancing. She goes out and et monstrum 
fecit quasi cum ilia concumbere vellet. Girl becomes pregnant and gives birth to 
child like fatther. People kill it and throw it into river. Father goes to medi- 
cine-man, who throws rock into river and waters part. They see child in water 
and man pulls him out. Medicine-man breaks big stone in two with club and 
they bury child between stones. Mysterious being then marries girl who gave 
birth to mysterious boy. 

36. THE NOTCHED STICK AND THE OLD WOMAN OF THE ISLAND. 

Notched stick for rubbing other sticks on and dried buffalo hide used to 
make rain during medicine-men's ceremony. At end of ceremony notched stick 
and buffalo hide are taken to island. Man goes to island and sees old woman 
sitting. He tells father, who says objects are put on island because they are 
old woman. 

ZT. THE MAN WHO MARRIED A COYOTE. 

War-party is attacked by enemy. One man killed and others return home. 
Man only stunned, and year after he comes to. He falls in with Coyotes and 
marries one. Warriors hunting surround and capture him. He becomes well 
by taking medicine. He shouts for coyote wife from top of lodge. Coyotes 
come and wife goes into lodge. They smoke her, but sihe goes away and joins 
other Coyotes. Man finds one of his baby coyotes in snow bank. He goes home 
to warm himself and on return baby is gone. 

38. THE MAN WHO TURNED INTO A STONE. 

Old man with great reputation as medicine-man goes with people to meet 
hunting party. He sits on hill waiting for dried meat to offer sacrifice to 
gods, but no one presents any. Last young man gives him dried buffalo tongue, 
but old man sits with head down. Feasts and councils are held, but old man 
absent. They go in search of him and he tells them it is too late. His legs 
have turned to stone and next day he is a rock in form of man. 

39. THE WOMAN WHO TURNED INTO A STONE. 

Daughter of chief refuses to marry, but at last is persuaded by mother. 
Husband fails to have connection with wife, who has only sunflower. She 
goes away and turns to stone through shame. 

40. THE POWER OF THE BLOODY SCALPED-MAN. 

Young man goes to hill to obtain power. Bloody scalped-man comes and 
young man runs away. Friend goes and when scalped-man comes he closes his 
eyes, but does not run. Man takes him to cave. There men are seated in circle, 
but none are scalped. Leader tells young man how to make himself look like 



ABSTRACTS. 193 

scalped-man ; gives him war-club, and root to make him run swiftly. Enemy 
comes and young man makes himself look like bloody scalped-man. He attacks 
enemy and kills one. Enemy retreats and while his people run after them he 
smokes body, washes in creek, and returns to lodge. In night he goes to place 
where he received power. He becomes great medicine-man and brings home 
many pieces of scalps, which he makes himself. 

41. THE BOY WHO CARRIED A SCALPED-MAN INTO CAMP. 

Party of warriors on war-path run into lake by enemy and all killed and 
scalped. Another war-party starts from same village. Camp near lake. Poor 
boy goes at night to get water from lake. Voices tell him to go further into 
lake for water. By light of moon sees leader of first war-party scalped, with 
hands and feet cut off. Boy carries scalped-man on his back to camp. They 
kill number of enemy equal to number in lake and return home. 

42. THE GIRL WHO WAS BLEST BY THE BUFFALO AND CORN. 

Mother while busy puts baby girl on buffalo skull at altar. Skull thinks 
baby given to him. Child grows and shows signs of having power from gods. 
When grown to womanhood famine prevails. Medicine-men can do nothing. 
Woman tells people to clean cellars. They do so and give her their seed corn. 
Woman throws little seed into each cellar, which is covered up, and after fourth 
day cellars filled with corn and other things. 

43. THE FIGHT BETWEEN THE ARIKARA AND THE SNAKES. 

Arikara go to hunt and see pretty little snake by path. They give it pres- 
ents. Two foolish boys come along and kill snake. They tell people, who 
turn back from hunt and climb upon high arbors. Many snakes come. Arikara 
kill snakes with clubs, but many Arikara are killed, among them the two foolish 
boys. 

44. THE FIGHT BETWEEN THE ARIKARA AND THE BEARS. 

Young wife has garden in woods. She goes every day in spring and takes 
much food. Husband secretly follows her. He sees man with bear's claws 
about neck oome and help wife and afterwards lie with her. Next day husband 
pretends to go hunting, but hides in garden. Man again comes to wife and 
while they are lying together husband shoots man with arrow. He then clubs 
woman, who tells him man is bear. Three days afterwards bears attack Arikara 
camp and kill husband and all people who do not hide in cellars. 

45. THE WIFE WHO MARRIED AN ELK. 

While man goes hunting men come to see wife. She goes away with one. 
Husband follows and sees wife walking with Elk. He shoots at it, but arrows 
do no harm. Elk and woman go into lake. Man stays there crying. Woman 
comes and tells him to go home and that when he starts upon war-path to come 
to lake. Man goes on war-path, first going to lake. Sees woman, who tells him 



194 ABSTRACTS. 

that they would kill people in three tipis and capture their ponies. They do so. 
Next time man goes on war-path he again visits lake. Woman tells him she 
can not leave lake any more and that in fight he will see woman like her. He 
is to catch her and she will become his wife. It happens as she said. 

46. THE FOUR GIRLS AND THE MOUNTAIN-LION. 

Mountain-lion tells four girls who are gathering wood he wants them for 
wives. They run to different wonderful beings for protection, but none can help 
them. They come to Hair-Cut-in-Notches and ofler to live with him as wives 
if he will save them. He sends them into lodge and then sings about his head 
and hair — 'his hair is his arrows. Mountain-lion comes and man shoots and 
kills him. Hair-Cut-in-Notches tells girls he is not human being and sends 
them home. 

47. THE DEEDS OF YOUNG-EAGLE. 

Chief of north village of Arikara has beautiful daughter, Yellow-Calf. 
Chief of south village has handsome son, Young-Eagle, who does not look 
with favor upon women and has not been on war-party. Young-Eagle starts for 
north village to see Yellow-Calf, and same day Yellow-Calf starts for south 
village to see Young-Eagle. They meet on hill half-way between villages. 
They make pile of stones on hill and start for Yellow-Calf's home. They come 
to lake and Young-Eagle says they must wash before going to village. Yellow- 
Calf washes first. Young-Eagle wades into water with clothes on and when 
he comes out he is quite changed in appearance. He is like "Burnt-Belly" boy. 
Girl takes him home and they lie together. In morning Yellow-Calf's parents 
are ashamed of him and so is she, but he remains. Boy hears that war-party 
is going out and tells girl that in three days her youngest brother is to get 
buffalo intestines and bones and that he will come. Young-Eagle takes wife to 
lake and after she has washed he wades into lake. He comes out same man 
she had first met. He sends wife home and turns to young eagle, which flies 
to where warriors gone. Brother-in-law hears eagle's cry and takes him in- 
testines and bones. Young-Eagle brings in ponies and then kills several men 
and takes their scalps, w^hich he sends by brother-in-law to leader. He goes 
to lodge, but does not tell wife what has happened. War-party returns and 
tell story of Young-Eagle's doings. Scalps are put upon pole at entrance of 
old woman's lodge. This occurs on several occasions, and once Young-Eagle 
goes with wife to lake and gets his own likeness. They go with scalps Young- 
Eagle has taken to village of his father, Black-Sun. Black-Sun sings scalp 
songs and braves and warriors decide that Young-Eagle shall lead people to 
girl's village. Arikara become one tribe again. 

48. THE GIRL WHO BECAME A WHIRLWIND. 

Woman has boy and girl on travois drawn by pony. Children fall off un- 
known to mother and wander away to cave. Girl goes to find something to 
eat and is taken far away by Whirlwind. She soon returns, but afterward goes 
away. She brings brother bow and arrows on two occasions. Owl tells boy sister 



ABSTRACTS. 195 

is Whirlwind and is planning to kill him. Owl says she cults off men's testes and 
eats them. Boy watches for sister. Sees her do what Owl says. She goes 
away again and Owl comes and takes boy into Owl's den. They say that sister 
wants woman and he is to tell her he will give her first woman he marries. 
Whirlwind comes and demands boy, but says she will let him go on his prom- 
ising to give her the first woman he marries. Boy goes to his people. Tells 
chief that buffalo not far away. Many are killed. Enemy attack village and 
boy makes way to kill them. Chief's daughter given him for wife. Boy goes 
out and calls sister. She comes and boy tells her of his marriage. She and 
the girl lie together. Sister gives brother club and medicine, with power of 
Whirlwind. He becomes warrior and then chief. 



49. COYOTE AND THE MICE SUN DANCE. 

Coyote hears noise of dancing in elk skull. Mice run away, but finally they 
agree to let Coyote see dancing. He puts his head through skull and Mice run 
away. Coyote's head fast in skull and as Mice do not help him he goes away 
with skull on his head. He goes to water and people on other side think he 
is wonderful animal and are scared. Coyote promises they shall all live if they 
give him chief's daughter. They agree and Coyote swims across. They make 
tipi and he stays with girl all night. Boy sees that it is Coyote and people 
break skull and catch Coyote. They tie him fast to pegs. They urinate and 
defecate on him. He plays mean trick on old woman and thereby frees himself 
and then runs away. 



50. THE COYOTE BECOMES A BUFFALO. 

Buffalo asks Coyote why he is not Buffalo. He consents to be made one 
and Buffalo rushes at him. There are then two Buffalo bulls. They go to herd 
controlled by Buffalo bull and kill him. Each bull takes many cows to look 
after. Herd goes away leaving Coyote-Buffalo behind. He meets Coyote and 
says he is going to make him into Buffalo. He runs into him and there are 
two coyotes instead of Coyote-Buffalo and Coyote. 

51. THE COYOTE AND THE ARTICHOKE. 

Coyote digs up Artichoke plant and asks if it has another name. It answers 
"Take-a-Bite." Artichoke repeats same four times and Coyote takes bite each 
time, eating it all. He goes and and expels flatus. He gets worse and carries 
tree up in air. He takes hold of stone which goes up with him. Stone falls 
on Coyote and kills him. 

52. THE COYOTE RIDES THE BEAR. 

Coyote meets Bear, makes all kinds of threats, and finally rides on his back. 
He jumps off and runs to top of hill. Not seeing Bear he yells derisively at 
him. Bear hears, runs after Coyote, and kills him. 



196 ABSTRACTS. 

53 THE COYOTE RIDES THE BUFFALO. 

Pretty girl does not care to marry. Buffalo comes and girl becomes attached 
to him. Coyote visits girl, but she repulses him. Coyote tells her that Buffalo 
is his horse and girl says she will marry him if he will ride Buffalo there. 
Coyote goes home and strikes himself hard with club on the knee. Girl tells 
Buffalo what Coyote said and Buffalo says he will bring Coyote and kill him. 
Coyote tells Buffalo he is cripple, but says he will go if Buffalo will carry him. 
Buffalo agrees and Coyote sits on his back, with cane to hit Buffalo with. 
Coyote runs back to village and marries girl. Buffalo so ashamed he never 
came back. 



54. THE COYOTE AND THE BUFFALO RUN A RACE. 

Coyote tells Buffalo he cannot run fast and Buffalo challenges him to run 
race. Coyote accepts and goes off to select place. He sets landmarks near 
steep place. He tells Buffalo that at landmark they are to close their eyes and 
run fast. They race and Buffalo with eyes closed jumps over deep bank. 
Coyote goes down, skins and cuts up Buffalo, and takes meat to creek. While 
roasting meat Fox comes and Coyote sends him with Buffalo's pouch for water. 
Fox eats up pouch and tells Coyote something came and took away pouch. 
This happens four times and Coyote throws coals in Fox's face, sending him 
off. Fox tells story to every animal he meets and they all go to Coyote's lodge 
while he is asleep and eats all he has. When he wakes up he finds all his meat 
gone and goes away crying. 



55. THE COYOTE AND THE DANCING CORN. 

Two hungry Coyotes go to village in search of pounded corn. They sep- 
arate and leader sees pounded corn, in lumps, running into mortar. Coyote 
begs lumps to come out. He sings and walks around fireplace. Lumps of 
pounded corn come out and dance with Coyote. He tells them to close itheir 
eyes. He runs to mortar and gets his head fast in bowl. Brother comes and 
captive tells him to cut bowl open with axe. He does so, but cuts Coyote on 
head so that he dies. 



56. THE COYOTE AND THE TURTLE RUN A RACE. 

Coyote boasts of his swiftness and Turtle says he can beat him running. 
They agree to run race. Turtle gets other Turtles to assist him. They go to 
course, place one Turtle at end, others at different distances back. Each Turtle 
carries pole and hides in ground. Next morning Turtle meets Coyote. Turtle 
gives command to start. Coyote runs and Turtle crawls into hole. When 
Coyote gets over little ridge he sees Turtle ahead of him. He catches up with 
him and Turtle throws away pole and crawls into ground. This happens several 
times and at end Turtle is at goal. Coyote says he is beaten, and running kills 
him. 



ABSTRACTS. 197 

57. THE COYOTE AND THE STONE RUN A RACE. 

Coyote asks Stone its name. Stone says, "Run-Fast." They agree to run 
race. Coyote places Stone upon hill and starts him rolling. Coyote passes 
Stone, but Stone catches up with him and rolls upon his back. Stone won't 
get off and grows heavier. Coyote calls to Bull-Bats and tells them Stone has 
been calling them names. Bull-Bats fly at Stone until they break it in two and 
it falls from Coyote. Coyote makes fun of Bull-Bats and they separate. 

58. THE COYOTE AND THE ROLLING STONE. 

Coyote sees Jack-Rabbit men dancing around fire and eating intestines. 
He offers them his warrior headdress if they will tell where they get them. 
Rabbits send him to get red willows, which they put into fire. They dance 
around and as willows burn they turn into large intestines. Coyote then by 
trickery gets back his warbonnet and runs away chased by Rabbits. He is too 
swift for them, but they tell him he cannot do the trick four times. He suc- 
ceeds three times, but the fourth time willows burn into ashes. Coyote has 
stomach ache and defecates rabbits. He tries to catch them in robe, but they 
turn to excrement. Coming to big Stone he gives it soiled robe. Storm comes 
on and he returns for robe, which he finds clean. He takes it and storm passes. 
He hears something coming behind him and sees it is big Stone. Stone chases 
him, and he is about to give out when Bull-Bats fly around. Coyote appeals to 
them for assistance on ground that Stone had spoken against them. Bull-Bats 
break Stone up with flatus. Stone thus spread all over world. Coyote puts 
white clay on Bull-Bats' heads and bodies. 

59. THE COYOTE AND THE ROLLING STONE. 

Coyote and Rabbit agree that one who goes to sleep first shall be covered 
by other one. Rabbit sleeps with eyes open and Coyote thinks he is awake. 
Coyote goes to sleep by morning and Rabbit covers him and goes away. Coyote 
defecates rabbits. He gives robe to Stone, as in No. 58. He takes robe away 
from Stone four times and then Stone runs after him. Stone broken up by Bull- 
Bats as in No. 58. Coyote eats young Bull-Bats and Bull-Bats kill him with 
flatus. 

60. HOW THE SCALPED-MAN LOST HIS WIFE. 

Girl climbs tree to get grapes and Scalped-Man finds her. She goes with 
him and at creek she tells Scalped-Man she will be his wife if he washes his 
head. While he is diving she runs away and crawls under grapevine. He follows 
her, but at last gives her up. Woman runs home. 

61. THE GENEROUS SCALPED-MAN AND HIS BETRAYER. 

Man hunting sees Scalped-Man kill and carry off antelope. Man follows 
and enters Scalped-Man's cave. They become friendly and man remains four 
days. Scalped-Man goes away for several days, and brings ponies, which he 



198 



ABSTRACTS. 



gives to man. who returns home. Man obtains ponies in this way several times, 
and then tells Scalped-Man he wants scalp. Scalped-Man gets scalps for him 
twice. Man takes several others on war-path guided by Scalped-Man. They 
return with scalps and ponies. Man becomes chief and thinks he will capture 
Scalped-Man, but he fails, as Scalped-Man has heard his plans and gone away. 



62. THE SCALPED-MAN. 

Scouts see my.sterious beings, who disappear in side of steep bank, where 
entrance to den is found. Man is seen in cave crying. He is dressed in Coyote 
skins and his head tied with white sheeting. There is Buffalo skull in lodge. 
Men agree to ask Scalped-Man to help their war-party. 



63. THE DEAD MAN'S COUNTRY. 

Man faints and afterwards dies. He sees path leading east. There is in- 
closure with little hole through which he goes and is in dead man's country. 
Man tells him not to go into village and directs him to lodge of dead people, 
which he is not to enter. He sees many people in lodge, and black drums. Men 
are painted red. Seven men stand out. Drummers sing in low voice. Dancers 
have dried willow sticks, as representatives of their living relatives, whom 
they call to them. Man is told to go to his country, and wakes up. 



64. THE COYOTE WHO SPOKE TO THE EAGLE HUNTERS. 

Young men go to hills to catch eagles. While sitting in cave telling Coyote 
stories, Coyote walks in and says they tell many things about him that are 
not true. Coyote goes away and party is so dazed ithey return to village. 



65. THE GIRL AND THE ELK. 

Men hunting hear Elk whistling across river. Girl wants to go and find 
out what it is, but people prevent her. This happens many days. Men agree 
to kill Elk, but they can not shoot it. Man puts medicine in cartridge and then 
kills Elk. Girl tries to run away, and is put into sweat-lodge many times 
until she gets over crazy spell. 



66. HOW THE RABBIT SAVED A WARRIOR. 

.^rikara follow Ojibwa horse thieves. They overtake diflferent band of 
Ojibwas and attack them. Brave man is shot through neck by bullet. He 
seems about to die from loss of blood, when Jack-Rabbit tells him he will not die. 
Man is attended by Rabbit medicine-man and in less than four days is well. 
He becomes one of the leading medicine-men of Rabbit band. 



ABSTRACTS. 199 

67. THE WOMAN WHOSE BREASTS WERE CUT OFF. 

Man with beautiful woman and litttle boy goes hunting. Young man comes 
and courts woman. She feigns sickness and pretends to die. She is placed on 
arbor. Lover unties girl and places bodies of three dogs upon arbor. Girl is 
dressed as boy and breasts tied with wide strings. They go to another village 
where young woman passes herself for young man. Woman is anxious to see 
child. They paint up as men and watch for child near spring. They see boy 
and woman asks him for drink. He goes to lodge and tells father he has 
seen his mother. Father sends invitation to young men to eat in his lodge. 
They come and husband knows one of them is woman by her ways. He says 
she is his wife. Young man runs away. She asks forgiveness, but husband 
cuts off her breasts and woman dies. 

68. WATER-DOGS. 

Poor boy sees dog come ouit of river and carry little ones to spring. He dies 
shortly afterwards. Old woman near same place hears dogs chatterinig in water 
and soon afterwards dies. 

69. TWO- WOLVES, THE PROPHET. 

Two-Wolves left by himself in storm after buffalo chase has life saved by 
Prairie-Chicken. "Waruhti" gives him power to understand speech of Thunder. 
Long afterward he practices power. Man Two-Bears has herd of ponies whioh are 
disturbed by horse owned by Roving-Coyote. Two-Bears throws pointed stake 
at horse and kills it. Roving-Coyote goes to Two- Wolves to know who did it. 
Two-Wolves performis ceremony to father, Thunder, who comes and tells 
him. Two-Wolves sends for Two-Bears, who confesses and makes reparation. 
Wolf-Chief does not believe in Two- Wolves' power. Thunder tells Two- Wolves 
to speak to Wolf-Chief and have him kill his black dog and perform ceremony. 
Two-Wolves sends for Wolf-Chief, who goes to 'him and promises to do as 
asked. Two- Wolves sends out one war-party and it is a failure. He lives long, 
discovering thieves and prophesying wonderful things. 

70. HOW THE MEDICINE-ROBE SAVED THE ARIKARA. 

When Arikara living in Nebraska young woman alone in lodge while 
medicine-men's ceremony is performing. She sees enemy looking at her 
through top of opening. He digs at side of lodge and she puts out fire. Next 
day husband hides in lodge, and when enemy comes he catches him from be- 
hind. Woman gives alarm and men come and overpower enemy. He says 
southern tribe are coming to kill them. Man is tied upon scaffold and left to 
die. He breaks loose several times by shaking his arms, so he is stabbed to 
death. During ceremony this man comes into lodge. All medicine-men run 
out. Keeper of wonderful robe goes and wraps man in robe and throws him 
into river. Afterwards so many Sioux come that people are scared. Keeper of 
holy robe wraps it round body and taking eagle wing and gourd climbs upon 
top of lodge. He then ishakes himself and shakes robe towards sun. Enemy 
are so scared they give way and there is great slaughter. Scalps are brought 
in and there is great rejoicing. 



200 ABSTRACTS. 

71. THE MEDICINE BEAR SHIELD. 

Boy's father dies and is buried. Boy goes to grave to cry and dreams that 
Bear tells him that woman has removed shield from grave. During storm he 
crawls into crevice and watches grave. He sees Bear with paws toward sky. 
Lightning forms appearance of shield with bear for black center mark. Boy 
returns to grave and when asleep he dreams his father tells him shield taken 
by Howling-Wolf and that he must get it. Howling-Wolf gives boy frame. 
Boy has another shield made like that he had seen on father's grave. Kills 
buffalo and makes inner shield. When fifteen, boy joins war-party. He strikes 
Sioux with bow and takes his scalplock. Scalp is offered to gods and boy made 
chief. Old man puts buckskin shirt on him and tells him as he strikes enemies 
and scalps them to make marks on shirt. When enemy attacks village boy wears 
shield and is never hit. At sun dance boy swings day and night by buckskin 
strings tied to sticks run through his back. Sioux again attack village and boy 
again counts coup and strikes enemy. He dances sun dance many times after- 
ward, and suffers because old medicine-men dead. 

72. THE CRUCIFIED ENEMY. 

People go on buffalo hunt, leaving old people in village. Enemy come and 
people retreat to lodges. Old man puts on medicine and costumes and, gourd 
in hand, goes to top of lodge and sings sacred songs. Enemy see him and are 
much afraid, as he has power to mesmerize. They all run with old man after 
them. One of enemy's bravest men captured and tied to wooden cross outside 
of village. Man dies, loses his flesh, and only bones left. When young men 
playing near cross, bones fall and run toward village and into medicine-lodge. 
Man is found under blankets on altar. His bones are gathered and thrown 
away. 

72,. HOW A SIOUX WOMAN'S SCALP WAS SACRIFICED. 

Men go on war-path and liide near where Sioux get their water. Two women 
come to spring and as they run away one is seized, and scalp taken from side 
of her head. Men hurry back, and when they come to timber, leader takes fat 
from scalp and divides it into five pieces, which he places in four directions 
with one in center, first lon his hand and then on the ground, ito show that 
scalp is offered to gods. Scalp ceremony used when they get home. Fire- 
sticks are used to burn scalp. Holy bundles and medicine bags are passed 
through smoke and priests change names of young men and children who give 
them presents. 

74. THE WARRIOR WHO FOUGHT THE SIOUX. 

In winter Sioux attack Fort Berthold. Man coming with antelope on back 
does not see Sioux until he hears noise. He runs and is followed by Sioux. 
Man kills first Sioux and cuts him open with knife. Sioux shoot at him from 
behind with arrows. Man s.tands up and yells like a bear and Sioux run away. 
Man has piece of liver in his mouth. He chases Sioux and takes ponies and 
runs after them. He goes into timber and next day is found frozen, with 
arrows in his back. 



ABSTRACTS. 20I 

75. THE CAPTURE OF THE ENEMY'S BOWS. 

Young men go on war-path and Sioux come and capture old women and 
children. Young man returns and finds what has happened. He, his brother, and 
his father follow Sioiix to creek where they are in camp. Young man looks 
at stars, trees, and everything and says they must attack and give big war-whoop. 
When war-whoop given, trees and everything seem to join. Enemy are fright- 
ened and run away. They capture enemy's bows and kill many people. Bows 
and arrows are set upon high hill. 

76. THE WOMAN WHO BEFRIENDED THE WARRIORS. 

Two boys on war-path find earth-lodge where old woman lives. She feeds 
them and tells them where to go. They kill enemy. This occurs several times, 
but once there are so many young men in party old woman is ashamed. Next 
time war-party goes old woman has disappeared. Two boys hunt for her and 
find her inside of cliff in Bad Lands. Great company of men go there, but 
she again disappears. Party of warriors come to big lake and hear woman 
singing scalp-dance songs. Warriors scared, but leader says she is rejoicing, 
and they go and take enemy's scalps. This occurs again, but next time instead 
of singing and dancing, woman mourns. Warriors go on and are beaten by 
enemy. She is found to he siame old woman that lived in Bad Lands. People 
give her blankets, tobacco, aind other things. 

77. THE ATTACK UPON THE EAGLE HUNTERS. 

Arikara go to hills to catch eagles. Young man prepares and baits hole 
and then gets into it, leaving weapons outside. Sioux find hole and tell man 
to crawl out. He takes them where other men are. They make Arikara stand 
around fireplace while man cooks meat for them. He holds piece of buffalo 
tallow over fire and whirls it around and burns Sioux with grease. They are 
scared and man, though weak through torturing, walks away. Sioux stay in 
tipi all night. Man goes home and tells people. They go after Sioux and re- 
turn with three scalps. 

78. THE ATTACK UPON THE EAGLE HUNTERS. 

Young men go eagle hunting and while in cave Sioux come. Sioux ask 
for eagle feathers, which leader goes out of cave to give them. They attack 
Arikara, whose leader kills several Sioux, and others retreat. Hunters at night 
return to village with scalps. 

79. THE MOURNING LOVER. 

Man called "Rolling-Log" courts Arikara woman, who says she will marry 
him if he 'will bring her enough sinew to last her a whole year. He goes south 
with hunters and gets twenty-four sinews. He returns home and goes to see 
girl, but finds she is dead. He feels so bad he goes among hills and does not 
return to Arikara camp. 



202 ABSTRACTS. 

80. CONTEST BETWEEN THE BEAR AND THE BULL SOCIETIES. 

During medicine ceremonies Bear family is on north and Buffalo family on 
south inside lodge. Buffalo Society has two buffalo scalps with horns. These 
■are worn by two Buffalo men who play with people of village. Young man of 
Bear family tells leader he wants to challenge Buffalo to fight. Leader finally 
consents and sends pipe to leader of Buffalo Society as challenge. He objects, 
but finally consents and sends for Buffalo man. Men are prepared by medicines 
of their respective societies for fight. Societies meet and fight takes place. 
Buffalo hooks Bear, who is killed. Bear lodge announces that Bear killed for 
all time, but they do not get mad, as it was his own fault. 

81. HOW WHITE-BEAR CAME TO BELONG TO THE BEAR SOCIETY. 

When White-Bear's mother is pregnant his father puts on bear robe and 
tries to catch people to cut them open and get piece of liver. So his son has 
spirit of Bear. In nursing boy's mouth shows froth and he makes noise like 
young bear. In Bear dances boy wears robe of bear hide. When three years 
old, White-Bear falls on knife, cutting belly so that intestines come out. Father 
restores them to place and bandages child. In few days child is much better 
and bear robe is put on its back. Child cannot straighten out and makes noise 
like cat. As he grows up he acts like Bear. In Bear ceremonies sleight-of-hand 
ceremonies are performed by him. In medicine-lodge he has visions of bear. 
When no more Bear dances he does not show ways of bear. 

82. THE TALE OF A MEMBER OF THE BEAR SOCIETY. 

Boy stays in medicine-men's lodge and learns mysteries of Bear Society. 
Father gives him stuffed bear skin. In Bear dance little bear dances and imitates 
boy. When worn out little bear is placed in ravine. Some years ago great 
hunter asks young man to go hunting. At night pony snorts furiously and 
Scalped-Man is seen. After killing deer they start for home. They see bear, 
which stands up like man. Bear embraces young one. After being shot bear 
goes into brush, where it is found sitting, dead. Young one also killed and 
both are skinned. Man gives large hide to friend and keeps little bear's hide. 
He wears it in Bear dances. Afterwards it is sold, in his absence, to white man. 



i-fJ!^'05 



TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA 



Collected under the Auspices of the 
Carnegie Institution of Washington 



BY 



GEORGE A. DORSEY 

Curator of Anthropology, Field Columbian Museum 




WASHINGTON, D. C.: 

Published by the Carnegie Institution of Washington 
1904 



